


Where everything is different

by Madismen



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: But Anakin doesn't burn in the end, Eventual Happy Ending, F/M, Female Obi-Wan Kenobi, Fix-It, I Don't Even Know, I don't know what I'm doing, I promise, Qui-Gon Lives, Slow Burn, Through the entire thing, also, maybe? - Freeform, seriously
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-05-03
Updated: 2016-05-27
Packaged: 2018-06-06 05:51:44
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 21,322
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6741103
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Madismen/pseuds/Madismen
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Anakin Skywalker is nine years when he first meet Obi-Wan Kenobi. She is covered in sand and calls him Anakin the Turtle. He is continuously trying to pull her hair out and is maybe a little bit afraid. The Jedi Code preach against attachments. Anakin has never been very good at following the Jedi Code and in the very end, neither is Obi-Wan. </p><p>Or</p><p>If you are in love with canon and wants to see Anakin burn at Mustafar this fic is not for you my friend. However, if you want a slowass friendship and romance fic that don't end in tears this might be the thing for you.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Sand

Anakin Skywalker is nine years when he first met Obi-Wan Kenobi. 

His main concentration at the moment is on the fact that he was finally getting of the huttcursed sand planet that was Tatooine. And that he had just won his first pod-race. There is also the matter of Padmé, who is really pretty and nice, and who talks to him like he is an adult instead of a kid. 

The first he sees her Obi-Wan however she is covered in sand, dust, and some sort of weird looking oil, irritation rolling of her in waves. Her face isn’t showing a single expression, a picture of serenity, but Anakin can clearly feel the irritation rolling underneath. She isn’t smiling at all, not even the slightest, not even a tiny bit. The contrast between the apparent serenity shown and what the irritation he can feel makes him more than a little vary of her. So Anakin decides the smart thing to do is to hide, and promptly does so behind Padmé and Qui-Gon until he is sure that he is out of reach of the sand-covered girl.

The two adults are, unlike both him and Obi-Wan, smiling quite widely, looking like they are enjoying the situation thoroughly, Qui-Gon especially. Obi-Wan glares over at them, though Anakin is almost sure that she doesn’t see him covering behind them. He is momentarily feeling grateful for his lack of height, which makes it so much easier for him to hide from the scary girl. She suddenly stops and turns towards them, making Anakin fear that she saw him and decided to take her annoyance out on a smaller target. 

“Please let whoever needs to know that the hyperdrive and all other systems are officially fine, and that I’m more than ready to leave. The sooner the better, we shouldn’t linger here longer than necessary.” 

Message delivered the girl turns away once more and stalks away. Anakin is rather relieved to see her go. 

“That’s my Padawan Obi-Wan Kenobi.” 

Qui-Gon smiles down at him. It is clear that the man is quite fond of her, and unlike Anakin, not scared at all. Though he’s unsure if he thinks that Qui-Gon is brave or just really stupid for not being scared. 

Anakin hums quietly to himself for a moment before he decides to just ask. Just to be safe so that he can go to sleep later on without fearing retribution from an angry Padawan.

“Is she usually that dirty? And that annoyed?”

His question brings a laugh from Qui-Gon, though Padmé looks momentarily confused, didn’t she feel Obi-Wan’s clear irritation?

“Obi-Wan and dirty isn’t usually two words heard in the same sentence. Most of the time she's the most pristine jedi that I know, but it looks like she's had a bit of unfortunate meeting with a combination of the engines and your dessert. Lets give her a chance to relax and clean herself. I am sure she will be delighted to meet you once she has meditated for a bit.” 

He thinks a bit about what his words, and truthfully, he quite understands Obi-Wan’s mood at the moment. Sand is pretty much the most annoying thing he knows, coarse and rough and getting absolutely everywhere. In fact the only thing he dislikes more than sand is waking up early. So he decides to give the other girl another chance, but he also decides to hide from her until he is completely sure that she won’t feed him to a bantha or something similar. 

Happy with himself and his decisions he smiles happily up at the two adults. Well, he isn’t sure if Padmé is an adult or not, but she is taller than him and a Queen, even if she was masquerading as a handmaiden or something at the moment. He figures this lands her in the adult category. 

Padmé grins back at him, motions with her head, and starts walking further into the ship. Anakin moves after her without, leaving Qui-Gon behind, but he is sure that he are more than capable of taking care of himself. At least he hopes so; he would be a bit of a useless jedi if he can’t manage to do that. A jedi that’s going to get you trained so you too can be a jedi.

Anakin smiles hugely at the thought, and continues following Padmé. She at least looks like she knows where she is going, even though it is the same direction Obi-Wan stalked of in earlier. He really isn’t ready to meet the girl again, not nearly enough time have passed for him to be sure that she is clean and happy. 

“So, where are we going?” 

“To get lunch, or early dinner, I’m not entirely sure what time it is.” 

“When are we leaving?” 

“Pretty sure I think, Obi-Wan did say that the hyperdrive was repaired.” 

“How old are you?” 

“14” 

He had thought that she was a lot older than that. Probably because she was taller than him, but he would fix that eventually. He had decided a long time ago to become tall, preferably really tall, like Qui-Gon. Then he wouldn’t have to look up to anybody, and he wouldn’t have to run to catch up as he once again had to as Padmé unfortunately has longer legs than him. 

“What planet are you from?” 

“It is called Naboo, it lies in the Chommel Sector as a Mid-Rim planet.” 

“What does it look like?” 

“Well, it’s covered by swamps and grass plains and long hills. Personally I think it is the most beautiful planet in the galaxy.”

“Do you think I will get to see it someday?” 

“I am certain that you will. Once you become a Jedi I expect you will travel quite a lot. Hopefully one of your travels will take you to my planet.” 

“Why are you masquerading as a handmaiden when you’re the Queen?” 

This question actually makes her stop and stare down at him. He wonders if he asked about something he wasn’t suppose to and is about to apologize, but then she shakes her head and smiles at him again.” 

“For safety really, though let us keep that information between ourselves from now on.” 

“Do you have any siblings?” 

“One sister.” 

“What is her name? Is she nice? I never had any siblings, how’s that like?” 

“Her name is Sola and she is absolutely brilliant. Having a sister, it’s knowing somebody will always have your back, someone who will always love you and protect you, even when they don’t agree with all of your choices in life.” 

Anakin thinks having a sibling sounds really nice and decides that he want one. However, he’s not really sure how to get one. His mom doesn’t have any other kids, and she’s too old to get anymore isn’t she? And he doesn’t have a dad, so how to get one? 

“Padmé can you be my sister as well?” 

The older girl, girl definitely not adult, she isn’t that old after all, laughs beside him. He feels insulted for a bit before he looks up and see her smiling back at him. 

“Any particular reason Anakin that you suddenly want me for a sister?” 

“It’s just, well, you made it sound really nice to have a sibling, and I don’t have any, and you are like really nice and awesome, so I just thought that if I ever got a sibling I would want it to be someone like you, and well, stop laughing and answer me!” 

The last bit comes out in a bit of a pout, though he totally doesn’t mean it. He is after all nine, almost ten, and he is far too old to be pouting. Padmé stops smiling and kneels down in front of him. 

“Anakin, I would be delighted to be your sister. However, I don’t think the Jedi allow that kind of bonds, especially not between a Jedi and a non-Jedi.” 

“But, well, fine! But you can be my friend right? Friends have to be legal.” 

“Of course I will be your friend, it will be my absolutely honor. Now, I mentioned something about lunch didn’t I? Or was it dinner? I really don’t know what the time is.” 

Padmé stands up and continues her track through the ship, Anakin close at her heels. Though she declined to be his sister, she still agreed to be his friend, and he is very happy with that as well. He is very happy with the entire day, even though he is still unsure about leaving his mom behind as a slave. 

However, he promises himself that he will come back one day and free her. No matter what. For now he is happy enough with following Padmé and getting some food. He really is hungry when he thinks about it. 

 

 

The next time Anakin sees Obi-Wan she is clean, not a speck of sand or oil on her as far as he can see. Though even more importantly than that, she looks a lot happier. She is sitting with Qui-Gon in the control room of the ship, smiling at something he is telling her. The ship has taken off by now, and through the windows he can see the white flashes of hyperspace. He takes a moment to marvel at this, another proof that he has left Tatooine, traveling towards a new future. 

However, it doesn’t take long before his attention is once again drawn to the smiling Padawan. Her smile is not one of the big, sparkling smiles Padmé gives, but something small and barely there, barely detectable on a neutral face. Yet he can see that she is happy to be there, and enjoying being around the older Jedi. 

Qui-Gon must have sensed he entering the room, as he turns towards the door immediately upon his entering. He smiles and waves him over. 

“There you are. Where did Padmé go?” 

Anakin mostly shrugs in response. 

“Not sure exactly, she pointed me in this direction after we finished eating, and told me she had handmaiden-business to take care of.” 

His tone makes it clear what he thinks about that. 

“Very well. Anakin, I would like you to officially meet my Padawan Obi-Wan Kenobi. Obi-Wan this is Anakin Skywalker, he will be coming back to Coruscant with us to be trained as a Jedi.” 

If Obi-Wan feels any kind of conflict about his statement, it doesn’t show on her face. She simply stretch out her hand and Anakin grabs it quickly and shakes it enthusiastically. 

“Hello Anakin Skywalker, it is very nice to meet you.” 

She is still smiling and he decides have to thank Qui-Gon later for convincing him to give her another chance. Somehow smiling without smiling and in clean clothes not covered with dust she feels a lot less scary than earlier. 

Without the dust he also have the opportunity to really look at her hairs for the first time, or rather, her lack of hair. It’s cut short to her scalp, not even an inch at its best with the exception of a long braid traveling down to her chest, decorated with several bands and beads of different colors. It doesn’t look bad on her, just really, really different. 

“Why is your hair like that? All cropped up and short? I thought girls were supposed to have long hair.” 

Qui-Gon stiffens momentarily beside him, wasn’t I suppose to ask about that, but Obi-Wan feels no different. Anakin even thinks that her mouth had curled up in a small, physical smile for a moment. 

“It’s simply a traditional Padawan haircut. Most of the other human Padawans saves enough for some weird hairbun at the back, but I decided it was simply easier to keep it short all around. The braid and decorations signals your journey as a Padawan learner and achievements on the way. Species that don’t naturally have hair sometimes craft a braid out of other materials.” 

”You too will get the hairstyle once you have become accepted as a Padawan at the Temple” Qui-Gon adds to her explanation. 

Anakin stares horrified up at him. 

”You can’t be serious! I`m going to look like a rat, you can’t cut my hair! It’s absolutely awful.” 

”I don’t know if I should feel offended or not with that reaction. Do I honestly look that bad?” 

He is suddenly afraid that he actually did offend her. Her face has become blank, not revealing a single emotion. She doesn’t look angry, but the usual lack of expressions on her face somehow suddenly becomes even more disturbing to look at than if she had actually looked angry. And then, just as he is about to go and hide behind Qui-Gon again just to be safe, her old expression is back and her eyes are practically glittering with mirth. 

“You’re teasing me!” 

“Of course she is young one, you need to do a lot better than that if you wish to actually upset Obi-Wan, calmest Padawan I’ve ever known. Though if you want to see her annoyed I suggest dumping a bucket of water on her when waking her up.” 

That actually gets Obi-Wan to glare at her Master, though thankfully Anakin can still somehow see her the happiness in her eyes. 

“There will be no dumping of water Master, none at all, from either of you. Water dumping will be considered a hostile action and measures will be taken, measurers either of you won’t like. And Anakin, I’m sure you are right.” 

“Right about what?” 

“Right about the fact that you will look like a rat with the haircut. I however look completely fantastical with this style.” 

This time it is Anakin who glares at the older girl, while she leans back in her chair with a face that somehow shows complete satisfaction, despite the fact that her face continues to stay in the same blank state. It is the great mystery of the day, how this girl can show emotions on her face, without actually showing a single one. He vows to figure out how she does it, and make her actually show him an emotion, preferably a smile since he likes smiles. Then he remembers that she basically called him a rat and opens his both to retort, but before he can say anything else Qui-Gon cuts him off. 

“I do believe that is enough from the both you. Anakin, I`m sure you will look perfectly fine even after your hair is cut. Obi-Wan, why don’t you take Anakin to find Artoo, I could use a break from bickering small Padawans.” 

Anakin looks over at the older girl, wondering if she is going to protest dragging him around. However, she simply rises herself from her chair and holds out a hand in invitation for him to hold, which he does eagerly. 

“Of course Master. Come along Skywalker; time to find your new companion, it seems the old man tires of our companionship. I’m sure he is more than ready for his afternoon nap by now. Oh, and Master, I am not small, specially now that I have Anakin tagging along.” 

He looks over at Qui-Gon wondering if he is upset in any way by her words. Thankfully he is laughing fondly, and indicates for Anakin to follow the other girl. Waving a small goodbye at both Qui-Gon and the technicians, he follows Obi-Wan out of the room and closes the door behind him. 

 

They walk quietly through the ship for a while, looking for Artoo, who seems to be mysteriously difficult to locate. He can tell that Obi-Wan is thinking about something, but he decides not to ask, something telling him that she will tell him when she is ready to. Quite unusual behavior for him, but he feels that this time it is best to be quiet and wait. His feelings turns out to be right when she stops a few minutes later and kneels before him, still holding his hand, she looks up at him instead of the other way around. 

While her face continues to have its usual stillness, her eyes betray her inner conflict. Her mouth opens and closes several times, as if she still isn’t sure if she is going to tell him her thoughts or not. And once again Anakin feels the Force whispering to him, telling him to be quiet, to be calm and let her decide on her own. 

“You really shine brilliantly in the Force Anakin, truly brilliantly.” 

He doesn’t know how to reply to her words, sensing that they are a compliment, but not the kind you say thank you for. 

“I really I am sorry about your mother Anakin.” 

Now he is more confused than anything else. 

“My mother? Why would you be sorry about my mother?” 

“For taking her son away from her while leaving her still bound in chains. Slavery is an abdominal thing Anakin, and I am so sorry that Qui-Gon didn’t free her as well.” 

He can only stare down at her, struck completely speechless by her words. Obi-Wan haven’t even met his mother and yet her she is, apologizing on behalf on her master that he didn’t free her as well. Struck by the sincere emotion in her face, he lets go of her hand and throws himself at her, clinging to her and hugging her even tighter when he feels her slowly wrap her arms around him, carefully returning his hug. Quietly he sobs into her shoulder, beyond caring about the fact that he barely knows her. He is too caught up in the wave of emotions inside him, too caught up in the fact that another person cares about his mother’s fate. 

“I didn’t really want to leave her, but she said I should go. Go and forget about her and become a great Jedi. She said that she only cared that I was fine and had a future better than being a slave boy in a junkshop.” His voice breaks a little and he wonders if he really should confess his next thoughts. “But I miss her already and I don’t want to forget her, and Padmé says that Jedi don’t have that kind of attachments, but I do, and what if that means that I can’t become a great Jedi like she wants me to.” 

He whispers his confession into her shoulder, afraid that anyone else will hear him, even though he trusts that Obi-Wan have lead them away from any prying eyes. He feels her hand stroking softly through his hair, the comforting sensation making him cling to her ever tighter. 

“I never knew my mother, Jedi very rarely do. Instead we become our family, adopting each other as brothers and sisters. We are not affectionate in the same way you are used to with your mother, but are a family, even if not everyone thinks we should be. And I hope that you will one day come to see us as your family as well.” She pauses slightly, leans back a little bit to look at him, before leaning in again. “I can’t see you as anything else than a great Jedi Knight Anakin, prophecy or no prophecy. One day you will learn to master your attachment to your mother, I doubt it will ever truly disappear, but you will learn how to live with it without it clouding your judgment. And I promise you, one day I will return to Tatooine with you and help you free your mother. You both deserve that.” 

Her voice is equally as quiet as his, a soft whisper shielded from everybody’s ears but his. He didn’t know how to answer her, a thank you wasn’t near enough to make her understand how her words made him feel. The promise she gave him, vibrating through him, grounding him and binding him to her. Thank you would never be enough so merely continued to cling to her, desperately hoping that she understood his gratitude towards her. 

After what felt like a small eternity he felt Obi-Wan slowly start to pull away, and reluctantly he let go of the comforting warmth. Thankfully she didn’t pull completely away, only enough for her to be able to look up at his face. Anakin stared back at her, trying to convey without words that he was okay, that he was grateful, that he probably never could repay her for the kindness she had shown him. He thought he might have managed when once again on of her small smiles spread on her face. One day I will ask her how she can smile without smiling.

“So, shall we continue our search for Artoo, I’m sure we must be near by now.” 

He nods and let her withdraw completely, instantly missing the warmth and comfort she radiates when hugging him. However, he is sure there will be other opportunities to sneak a hug or two from her, so he lets go. It isn’t until Obi-Wan taps him on his lower lip that he realizes that he is pouting. Instead of saying anything, thank the Force, she starts walking appearing to be listening for something. 

“Why don’t you like droids?” 

She startles a bit at the question, and he sees her mumbling to herself, too low for him to hear, and too fast for him to have any chance of reading her lips. 

“It’s not that I have anything against them, not really. It’s a matter of how they feel in the Force to me.” 

“What do you mean?” 

“All living being, force-sensitive or not, have a certain presence in the Force, they shine in a way. I already told you that you shine absolutely brilliantly. Droids, machines, they lack that presence. I can talk to them, share stories with them, ask questions, but no matter how much I interact with one, they don’t shine. I can look at them, hear them, but I can’t feel them they way I can feel you, or Qui-Gon, or Padmé and her entourage when I’m around them. It’s unsettling.”

Anakin doesn’t know how to answer her, he has never been able to feel another being completely through the force. Sure, he can sometimes feel emotions rolling of people, but never sense them completely like Obi-Wan. To him, the Force has mostly been a guide, helping him with his work and sharpening his instincts when necessary. Obi-Wan somehow picks up on his thoughts, though he doesn’t know if she is able to sense them or simply read them on his face. 

“Sensing people in the force isn’t something that you learn instinctively on your own Anakin, you have no need for worry. It is a skill learned through deliberate meditation, some have an easier time with it than others, just as some have an easier time becoming skilled with a lightsaber. You will learn in time, you simply need to be patient and trust the Force. It will guide you through your life as long as you let it.” 

He is surprisingly relieved at her words, taking comfort in her certainty and allowing him self to relax a little bit. The more time he spends both around her and Qui-Gon, the more he understands how much there is for him to learn. Always a new secret, some new knowledge he was previously unaware of. For a moment he feels lost, unsure of the path he is walking and what the future will bring him. Then he remembers Obi-Wan’s words and makes himself relax, the Force will guide me. He doesn’t know where the thought came from, but it calms him anyway. Words he thinks he can live by. Looking up at the girl he sees her looking down at him, face blank, but eyes shining. 

“Brilliantly Anakin, truly brilliantly is how you shine.” 

He grins hugely back at her and together they continue searching for the astromech droid currently hiding somewhere in the ship.


	2. Anakin the Turtle

Sometimes Qui-Gon really doesn’t like the Jedi High Council. Always thinking that they have the only correct solution to a problem, unwilling to consider that they are not the only ones possessing knowledge and wisdom. Other times he is quite fond of them, acknowledging that they do indeed possess quite a bit of both knowledge and wisdom. This time is most certainly not one of those times, and he wonders precisely who thought it would be a good idea to gather such a bunch of old egos and set them to make decisions. 

He really doesn’t understand who come up with such an immensely stupid idea. Because right now they are about to make a really stupid decision, he can sense that they are going to refuse Anakin to be trained, and that is probably the stupidest decision he have ever known them to make. They haven’t said it yet, haven’t even consciously made a decision yet, but he can feel it on them. Their uncertainty regarding the boy before them sees them exchanging looks, afraid of the emotions wafting of Anakin. 

The boy is afraid, unprepared to face the questions of the Council, uncertain how he is to react to the questions they are firing at him. He answer perfectly everything they ask him regarding the Force, displaying talents no untrained Force sensitive should have, not even one as strong as Anakin. That is now where the problem lays, it is the personal questions that disturbs him, unused to having his emotions used against him. Struggling to understand why precisely it is bad of him to miss his mother, why the fear inside him is bad, when all his life it has helped him survive. 

Qui-Gon imagines that fear is a useful survival tool for a slave boy on Tatooine, but not in the eyes of the Council. In the eyes of the Council fear is undesirable. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering. He mouths along with Yoda’s words, silently of course since the last thing he needs at the moment is another lecture from the Grand Master. Especially when Obi-Wan stands just behind him, appearing to be listening and watching to the words of the Council, but he could see that most of her focus was on Anakin. Face carefully neutral as always, it has been more than a year since she let any emotion show in public. Qui-Gon is tuned enough to her that he can feel her true emotions through their Padawan-bond, but never showing any of them and letting them go as soon as possible 

Always appearing neutral, always deferent to the Council, never disrespectful, he sometimes wondered is she had a secret Master stashed away somewhere. He certainly never taught her to never be disrespectful, in his opinion, the Council members could use a little shock once in while. However, he was fully aware that the only reason he hadn’t been more berated over the past four years was due to how pleased the Council was with Obi-Wan’s progress through the years. She was becoming increasingly like a Jedi poster child, something to encourage the other Padawans to strive towards. Regularly he was congratulated on her progress and what a fine Jedi Knight she would be in the future.

It all would’ve worried him if it hadn’t been for the fact that he lived with her and actually got to see her emotions once in a while. If it ever got too bad he simply woke her up by dumping a bucket of water on her. Her actually showing negative emotions for a day, hurt and betrayed as they were, more than made up for her ensuing plotting of revenge. Plotting revenge isn’t really the Jedi way so Qui-Gon always felt a bit proud during those times. 

Though he rarely had been as proud as he was now. She had given up all pretense of paying attention to the Council now, completely focused on the scared boy in front of them. Anakin keeps peaking over his shoulder, looking for reassurance, and every time he does, Obi-Wan is there meeting his eyes with her own, being a silent show of support in front of the strict Masters. He can see Mace frown at the two of them, though Anakin in particular of course, and Qui-Gon is certain that having Anakin in the Order will be satisfactory just by the amount of wrinkles he is sure to cause Mace. 

By the time Qui-Gon has finished his musings the Council has finished their interrogation of Anakin. Instead of him coming to stand behind Qui-Gon as expected he goes back to Obi-Wan and promptly buries his face in her stomach, and she not only lets him, but also raises a hand to pet his hair. Qui-Gon doesn’t know if should frown or smile. Frown because Anakin really isn’t helping his cause with the Council, yet it is also the most adorable thing he has seen in a long time. It also surprises him how willingly Obi-Wan bestows affection on the boy, seemingly uncaring about the disapproving looks shown their way. 

“The boy is full of both fear and anger Qui-Gon.” Mace’s voice has never seems as irritating as it does now. “He is too old, too attached to his emotions.” 

“Master Windu, you know his midi-chlorian count, it is higher than anything I have ever seen. How can we not train him?”

“Of the Prophecy, the child, you him believes to be?” 

“A Jedi will come, To destroy the Sith, And bring balance to the Force. He has a midi-chlorian count of over twenty thousand, higher than any Jedi in history. His mother told me that there was no father, she did not lie as she told me this. How can he not be the Chosen One?” 

“Faith in this you have.” 

“Yes, Master Yoda, I am certain that he is.” 

“Yet dangerous the boy is.”

“It doesn’t matter if he is the Chosen One or not, and there is no concrete proof that he is. And the fact still remains that he is to old to be trained. The other younglings are too far ahead and he is too young to get a Master, even if there was one willing to train him.” 

Qui-Gon really is getting to old to deal with the Council. They are too narrow minded, and today he has no patience with them. He is tired after the mission, nerves frayed and irritated. And he doesn’t know what possesses him to say it, but he does so anyway. 

“I will train the boy myself.”

The ensuing silence is stifling and the atmosphere has become chokingly heavy. Stupid, stupid, stupid, mentally berating himself for his stupidity. The Jedi doesn’t have any clear taboos that he know of, but if they had one of them is sure to say something like you don’t offer to train a youngling when you already have a Padawan you big idiot. The bond between Padawan and Master is sacred, and here he is, basically spitting Obi-Wan in her face. It might have been less offensive of him if he had actually just spit in her face. 

Qui-Gon has never considered himself a coward, yet he finds himself unable to look over at Obi-Wan straightaway, too afraid of what he might see. It isn’t until Yoda has twitched his ears at him for the tenth time that he dares to turn his head and look. He had expected to find an angry Padawan of some sort, sure that his betrayal would cause her to loose her grip on her emotions. At the very least he had expected her to be looking at him.

His expectations prove themselves wrong. Obi-Wan is still just standing there, hands threading carefully through Anakin’s hair. Reaching out through their bond he can feel her softly humming. Not out loud, but through the Force, undetectable to all but those who actively listen for it, which Anakin appears to be doing quite intently. Qui-Gon doesn’t understand the song yet Anakin seems to take great comfort in it. His fear and hurt washing of him, being replaced by an almost trace-like calm, similar to the ones achieved by deep meditation. 

“Masters, most respectfully, why don’t we finish for the day?” Her voice is soft as if afraid to startle the boy holding onto her. “It has been some long days for both Master Jinn and I, and we can both use some rest. We will most likely need to escort Queen Amidala back to Naboo when she has finished her dealings with the Senate. Until then Anakin can stay with us, and perhaps things will then look different with regards to your decision about his future.” 

“You and young Skywalker are excused Padawan Kenobi, Master Jinn please stay behind.” 

Qui-Gon can feel himself flinch when she calls him Master Jinn, the formality worse than any shouting. He can only watch as Obi-Wan bows to the Council, from her waist as befitted a Padawan learner, obedient once again. Anakin mimics her, and together they leave the Council Chamber. Anakin trails slightly behind, a hand firmly griping her outer robe. Still she has shown no reaction to his betrayal, ignoring him while she continuous to hum her song to Anakin through the Force. The room is silent until the pair has left. 

“A fine Padawan you have Master Jinn.”

“Yes Master Yoda”. 

“Deeply insulted your Padawan you have.”

“Yes Master Yoda.” 

“Betrayed your Padawan you have.” 

“Yes Master Yoda.” 

“Angry a lesser Padawan would be.” 

“Yes Master Yoda.”

“Apologize to her you should.” 

“Yes Master Yoda.” 

“Go now to your Padawan. Make things right. Meditate on Padawan Kenobi’s words we will.” 

“Yes Master Yoda. Masters.” 

He bows at his waist, more formal than necessary for a Jedi Master, yet completely appropriate given his recent blunder. Searching through his training-bond to Obi-Wan he locates her near their room. Confident that the pair can manage without him for a bit longer Qui-Gon decides to take a longer route back. Enough to give him time to think the situation he has found himself in, and also how to best apologize to his Padawan without insulting her further. 

He still doesn’t understand why he would offer to train Anakin on his own. Or that part he does understand, the boy is strong in the Force, he deserves to be trained, and Qui-Gon is convinced that he is the Chosen One from the Prophecy. The problem doesn’t lie there, the problem lays in his casual dismissal of Obi-Wan. He is brave enough to admit that he completely forgot about her, too irritated with the Council and too caught up in Anakin that he didn’t even spare her a thought. To forget her in such a way is a worse insult than any she has received when their missions has brought them to less than proper places. 

Honestly he doesn’t know how to apologize to her for his rudeness. It is within her full right to mad at him, and he is sure not even the Council would find fault if she decide to snub him for the next month. 

Despite his turmoil, he still wants to see Anakin trained. Which is impossible seeing as the Council refuses to take him in, as a Youngling and he can see no Knight or Master willing to train him. A boy that strong in the Force deserves to be trained. The easiest solution to the problem would be to have Obi-Wan Knighted. Except she is not yet even seventeen and Qui-Gon have no arguments good enough to convince the Council to allow her to take the Trials. He can’t see it will allow me to train Anakin convincing any of the members, tough he is certain it would convince Yoda to hit him repeatedly with his gimer stick, hard and repeatedly. 

His thoughts once again bring him back to Obi-Wan and the dilemma of precisely how to apologize to his Padawan. Her mastery of her emotions have come a long way, and letting go of them have also become second nature to her, but this is different. She had faced direct slurs from sleazy creatures in seedy bars without lifting an eyebrow, but in those situations she always had him at her back. This time it is he that has offended her, and while she has shown no anger towards him, her hurt has been shown in her type of address. Master Jinn, she hasn’t called him that with him in the room since she was twelve and freshly bonded as his Padawan. 

He continues to wander through the Temple, but he can find no solutions to his problems that aren’t impossible or unlikely. Eventually he finds himself in front of the door to his rooms, and stomach clenching, he enters. Inside the scene is surprisingly pleasant. Thankfully there is no angry Padawan waiting for him ready to chew him out. 

Obi-Wan is sitting in her usual chair, freshly showered and dressed in white pants and an undershirt. Anakin sits on the armrest to the right, face concentrated as he braids the longs strands of her hair into her Padawan braid. The scene is familiar and cozily intimate, and somehow entirely non-surprising. For a moment he forgets his transgression, that is, he forgets it until Obi-Wan decides to greet him. 

“Master Jinn, come on in.” The wry smile on her face, and the fact that she actually was showing a wry smile, told him that she wasn’t completely mad at him. However it also told him that she expected both an apology and an explanation. “It, auch, Anakin.”

Anakin has hard tugged on the newly completed braid, drawing her attention back to him. 

“I’m finished with your braid.” 

“Great, now, is there are reason for why you are trying to pull said braid of?”

“You said you weren’t mad at Qui-Gon.”

“I’m not.” 

“Then why are you calling him Master Jinn? You didn’t on Padmé’s ship.” 

“I’m not happy with him either.” 

“You shouldn’t be rude to him.”

“He was rude to me first. And it isn’t rude to call him Master Jinn. That is his title.”

“But it makes him sad.”

“He made me sad.” 

“I don’t want you two to fight.” 

“We are not. He just has some explaining to do.” 

“So you are not going to yell at him?”

“No Anakin, I am not. He deserves it, but I am not going to yell at him.” 

“...good.” 

“Didn’t we agree that you were going to shower after me?”

“Qui-Gon! She is trying to make shower... with water!”

“Yes because you need a shower, with water.”

“But I’m going to waste all that water!”

“Anakin go shower, you smell like sand. There is plenty of water on Coruscant, you won’t waste any of it.”

“I don’t smell like sand!” 

“Yes you do, now please go shower. You won’t waste the water and there is clean clothes for you in the fresher.”

“But...”

“Go! You’ll feel better afterwards.”

“Fine!” 

Qui-Gon feels more than a little amused by the whole exchange. He isn’t surprised that the boy is adverse to the thought of using so much water simply to wash, conditioned by his years on Tatooine. He is also a little bit touched by Anakin’s defense of him, obviously having picked up on something and discussed it with Obi-Wan. His amusement soon turns to dread however, as he is now alone with his Padawan, who is clearly less happy with him than she is with Anakin. 

“I think you own me an explanation Master Jinn.” 

He dumps into his usual spot at the couch, somehow collecting enough courage to look at her as he speaks. 

“I don’t know what happened Padawan. I was so irritated at the Council, their blatant refusal of training Anakin. It aggravated me so much, and he deserves to be trained.”

“So a bit of annoyance with the Council was enough to make you forget me? Forget nearly five years of companionship. Anakin deserves to be trained, there is no question about it, but is your desire to train him so great that you can forget about me without reservation.”

“I am sorry Obi-Wan.” 

She leans back in her chair, staring right through him. Qui-Gon wonders if she might yell at him after all, he certainly does deserve it. He stares back at her, until her eyes slide shut and her presence in the Force changes, slipping into a deep meditative trance he is familiar with. It is one she can stay in for hours signalizing to him that right now she simply wants to be left alone. He leans back as well, soothed by her humming and what it tells him. That they will be okay, that he didn’t ruin everything, that she just need a little bit of time. 

“Qui-Gon? Is something wrong with Obi-Wan?” 

“She is merely meditating Anakin. Lets go into the kitchen, better to leave her alone for now.” 

They enter the kitchen and Qui-Gon quietly starts making a late dinner for them, taking comfort in the old routine. 

“Is Obi-Wan still mad at you?”

“She was never really mad, but by wishing to train you while still having her as my Padawan, especially when she is still so young, well, amongst Jedi it would been considered a lesser offence if I had spit on her face.”

“Oh. Is she mad at me?” 

“No Anakin, not even in the slightest. Do you think she would had taught you how to make her braid is she had been mad at you?” 

“No, not really.”

“You are not at fault here in any way. This was my offence and Obi-Wan has recognized my apology. Now she just needs some time to work through her emotions.” 

“Qui-Gon?” 

“Yes?” 

“The Council, does it mean that I won’t be a Jedi now?” 

He sounds so small when he says it, lost on a different planet after being abruptly separated from his mother, Qui-Gon’s heart aches for him. 

“You will be a Jedi Anakin, I promise. We just don’t know how it will come to be yet. But trust in the Force young one, it will guide you.” 

“Are you sure?” 

“Positive.” 

He finishes the meal and they sit and eat, a portion sat a side in case Obi-Wan wants something to eat when she finishes her meditation. Anakin finishes far before Qui-Gon, scarfing down his food. Qui-Gon wonders if he should say something about it, but decides not to. Most likely the boy will grow out of it as he becomes used to having food available to him. He still looks hungry when he’s finished so with a fond shake of his head Qui-Gon retrieves Obi-Wan’s portion. There is plenty of food in the kitchen and he reasons he can make more for her if she ends up actually wanting some. Anakin scarfs down the additional food in no time, before he leans back in his chair, smiling happily. 

“Thanks for the food Qui-Gon.” 

“You’re very welcome Anakin.” 

“Can I go and watch the HoloNet?”

“Sure, just leave Obi-Wan alone yeah? She won’t be disturbed by the sound, but don’t go too near her. It will disrupt her mediation since she isn’t entirely used to you yet.” 

“Why?”

“The meditation trance she is now is very deep, resulting in a state where one isn’t actively aware of one surroundings. She isn’t instinctively familiar with how you feel in the Force yet. This means that if you go to close to her you will be perceived as a potential threat and she will protect herself. Seeing how close together you two have been recently she will most like recognize you before anything happens. However, she might also throw you into a wall and a rather avoid that.” 

“...okay, no touching Obi-Wan.” 

Feeling confident that Anakin won’t accidentally get himself thrown into any of the walls in the living room Qui-Gon waves him off. He waits until he can hear sounds from the holovid before he stands and cleans up after the dinner. It is familiar and repetitive and precisely what he needed to relax. He has made amends with his Padawan and he will get to sleep in his own bed for at least one night. The Council hasn’t accepted Anakin as a Initiate yet, but he still feels optimistic regarding that, he just needs to give it a little bit of time. Anakin will be trained and he will become a Jedi. 

Qui-Gon feels more cheerful than in a long time. Obi-Wan even showed some emotion on her face today, which is always a victory, never mind that it was dry and ironic. Humming, he fees relaxed and content. That is until there is a loud yelp in the living room followed by a thud. He sighs softly, he had thought Anakin would’ve managed to control his curiosity for at least half an hour, though twenty minutes is at the very least better than nothing. 

The sight that greets him in the living room is honestly quite entertaining. Anakin is draped upside down on the couch, hair messed up and looking entirely surprised at how he ended up there. Obi-Wan is still sitting in her chair, blinking owlishly and looking just as surprised as Anakin over his position. 

“I did warn you Anakin.” 

“Yes Qui-Gon.” 

“Did you satisfy your curiosity?”

“Mhm, no more pulling on Obi-Wan's braid when she is meditating for now.”

He decides to simply ignore the for now part. Anakin have been properly warned and it is unlikely that Obi-Wan will throw him anywhere hard enough to seriously damage him. 

“If you want to fly in the future Anakin I suggest getting a speeder. I hear they are much funnier, not to mention safer, than me throwing you into furniture.” 

“Yes Obi-Wan.”

“Good. Well I’m going to bed then. I suggest you two do the same.” 

Qui-Gon waits until her bedroom door has been shut before he turns his attention back to Anakin. 

“Comfortable?”

“Not really.” 

“Come on then, I believe my bed is big enough for three people, you will certainly be more comfortable there.” 

Anakin beams at him and runs into his bedroom, by the time Qui-Gon joins him he is already sitting on the bed, thankfully not on Qui-Gon’s side. He spends a bit of time searching through one of his drawers before he locates an old sleep shirt and shorts that must have belonged to Obi-Wan at some point. He can’t remember how they ended up there, but he guesses they will fit Anakin much better any of his own.

“I’m going to take a quick shower then I’ll join you. You can sleep in this, just put the other clothes at that dresser.”

His shower takes a bit longer than planned, a result of his weakness for them. Anakin is fast a sleep when he comes back, curled into the sheets leaving only a mop of hair to be seen. Qui-Gon chuckles softly and gets in on the other side. Not all their problems have been solved, Naboo is still under blockage and the Council is sill being unreasonable. Yet his Padawan is still alive and somehow everything will work out. 

When he wakes up during the night to find Anakin gone Qui-Gon only has a small panic attack. He doesn’t understand how he managed to loose the Chosen One. If the Council haven’t banished him before they are sure to do so now. Even if Anakin isn’t a member of the Order yet, he is still a youngling, and the Council doesn’t like it when younglings of any kind gets kidnapped from the Jedi Temple. 

Relax Qui-Gon, think. The most likely explanation is that Anakin merely got up to use the ‘fresher. As he gets out to check he discovers that the door to Obi-Wan’s room is slightly open. Poking his head in to check he finds his heart calming considerably at the sight. Obi-Wan is laying her stomach, limbs sprawled in every direction with her head facing away from the door, completely normal for her. However, Anakin, who hasn’t only crawled into the bed, but also crawled on top of her, has joined her. Head resting between her shoulder blades and his right hand clutching at Obi-Wan’s Padawan braid. 

It is entirely adorable, and Qui-Gon shuts the door softly behind him. Back in his own bed he wonders if Obi-Wan is aware of the new resident in her bed, or if Anakin will find him self thrown into another piece of furniture. 

Thankfully the next morning doesn’t start with Anakin being thrown into a wall. However Qui-Gon does become aware of the pair awakening due to a loud thud and some even louder cursing.

Qui-Gon calmly ignores the sounds and continues to cook breakfast while he waits for one of them to come out of the room. 

Anakin exits first, rubbing on a spot on his arm. 

“Good morning.”

“Morning Qui-Gon.” 

“Your clothes are still where you left them, go change before breakfast.” 

“Yes Qui-Gon.” 

Anakin changes in record speed and is happily shoveling down his breakfast by the time Obi-Wan exits her room. 

“Good morning Master.” The word is once again spoken with familiar affection and Qui-Gon finds himself smiling. 

“Good morning Padawan, had a nice morning so far?” 

Said Padawan actually snorts at him as she sits down, grabbing a breadroll and some coffee before answering. 

“When Anakin woke me up in the middle of the night to ask if he could sleep with me, he forgot to ask if he could sleep on top of me.”

“So the sounds coming from your room?” 

“Me throwing Anakin the Turtle on the floor with him trying to stay in the bed by holding onto my braid. Neither party was particularly happy with the situation.”

Anakin actually pauses from his eating to protest the nickname.

“I’m not a turtle!” 

“You are either Anakin the Turtle or Anakin the Bark Rat, take your pick.” 

“I... but... fine!” 

“Anakin the Turtle it is then.”

The nickname stays with Anakin for years, though never mentioned in front of other ears than their own. In time even Qui-Gon comes to see it as appropriate. As every time he finds them sleeping it is in that position. Obi-Wan sprawled on her stomach with Anakin resting on top of her. It continues even after Anakin has grown large enough to dwarf Obi-Wan, so that the only parts Qui-Gon can see of her when he finds them is a foot or an arm Anakin hasn’t been able to hide from the outside world. 

Qui-Gon asks Obi-Wan if it isn’t uncomfortable having him there, a boy twice her size. She only laughs at him. 

“When he’s there I know he’s safe. And he knows I'm safe.”


	3. Padawan Skywalker

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back. This is brought to you by Thursday's four hour long Arabic exam, followed by twenty-four hours with drinking, excessive cleaning on Saturday morning leading to inspiration. It's currently 6:18 am in Norway, I sat up through the entire night and haven't peed in 18 hours. Please don't hate it. (And also, because I am being really honest here, I am a Norwegian person with English as my first second language, German as my second second language, and I'm currently studying Arabic, so you know, my language these days is a little bit messed up.)

It is an excepted fact that the Sith have been extinct for more than a thousand years. The last ones were wiped out by a combination of infighting and Jedi determination. According to the Jedi Order the Sith has disappeared and are no more. 

That is what the Senate tells as the truth, what the Jedi Council tells as the truth. What Yoda the Little Green Troll Without Grammar told him when he was a Youngling in the crèche, barely taller than the Green Troll himself. Even Mace Windu with his eternal cautions against emotions and the dark side of the Force believes the Sith to be gone.

Qui-Gon Jinn, Master in the Jedi Order, thinks they are all a bunch of egoistical frauds. 

For his own sake he wishes he could agree with them, he honestly truly does. His mental health would have been so much better if what they said were true. Unfortunately for him, his mental health, and the confused Padawan beside him, he is more than a little certain that the Zabrak standing before them is a Sith Lord. Nothing other than a Sith can execute such an aura of slimy darkness. 

The Galaxy is full of liars that should go and think about the consequences of lying about the disappearance of unwanted Sith. Then they should be used as bantha fodder. 

“Master?” 

“Yes Padawan?”

“Why does the Zabrak feel, I don’t know, all wrong in the Force.” 

“He feels that way because he is a Sith Lord.” 

“Are you sure? Isn’t the Sith supposed to be, what was the word, extinct?” 

Qui-Gon carefully starts to shift towards the Sith Lord, Obi-Wan matching him perfectly. Across them the Zabrak mirrors their movement, maintaining the distance between them. 

“Obviously the Archives and the Council Masters needs a little update.” 

“Huh, well I am sure the Masters will be thrilled to have a chance to gain some unexpected new knowledge.” 

Facing the Sith Lord appears a more pleasant alternative than having to tell the Council Masters about him. Qui-Gon wonders if the news might cause Mace to murder him so he can’t cause any more problems for the Council. Obi-Wan can be the one to tell them, they all like her better anyways.

“I am Darth Maul, and I’m burdened with glorious purpose. Kneel and your deaths will be quick.” 

“I’m sure they will be Lord Sith, but generally speaking I rather avoid that. I never been a fan of glorious purpose bearers, they are always so cliché.” 

He isn’t sure if Darth Maul has eyebrows, but he has no problems imagining them twitching at his Padawan. They drop their cloaks.

“Obi-Wan?”

“Yes Master?”

“If we turn around and simply leave, do you think he would leave us alone and let us go back to bed?” 

One step forward and two to the right, taken as easily as a stroll in the Temple Gardens. 

“I don’t think so Master. You could try and ask nicely, but I think it is more likely that he will cut or heads off from behind.” 

“So no going back to sleep and pretending that this was simply a bad dream?” 

Two more steps to the right, the Sith moving in accord.

“Not possible I’m afraid.” 

Qui-Gon wishes he was five years old again. At least then it was socially acceptable for him to be grumpy and pout. Now he has to be a grown up and face Sith Lords, even though they were supposed to be extinct from the Galaxy. Sith Lords means trouble, Sith Lords means dead Padawans and the Jedi being warriors instead of peacekeepers. Nothing good ever comes from having a Sith Lord traipsing around, they are bad news without any redeeming qualities. 

“You still want to go back to bed don’t you Master?” 

Another step forward, circling softly, testing the limits. 

“I want to do a lot of things a lot more than fighting a Sith Lord, Padawan. Don’t you want to go back to bed?” 

Obi-Wan shrugs non-committedly at him, eyes cataloging the Zabrak while being watched just as closely in return. If Qui-Gon didn’t know any better he would say that both of them are amused. But Sith Lords don’t in general get amused over the squabbling of Jedi, so he might confuse the Sith’s amusement with animosity. Obi-Wan doesn’t get amused when facing enemies whose biggest desire is to mutilate and kill. That is a blatant lie and he can feel her amusement through the training bond.

“Go back to bed and miss out on you angsting? Not even a slight possibility Master.” 

“What if only I go back to bed and leave you here to deal with him?” 

Step after step, Obi-Wan watching the Zabrak, the Zabrak watching Qui-Gon and Qui-Gon watching Obi-Wan. 

“You could, but I will have to report to the Council after this, and I doubt Master Windu will be particularly pleased with you.”

“Mace doesn’t scare me.”

“Perhaps not, but he has a say in our missions. If we end traipsing around in some swampy mess like Baroonda I will blame you.” 

“A Jedi doesn’t hold grudges.” 

Step, stop, step and stop, the Sith Lord watching them with a little bit of contempt and a large bit of murderous intent. Or it could be entertainment, but Qui-Gon thinks the previous are more likely.

“I won’t be holding a grudge if I take action immediately.” 

“Revenge isn’t very Jedi-like either.” 

“Don’t look at it like revenge, think of it as personal training for you.”

“How so?”

“You don’t fall very gracefully Master. In a swamp there is plenty of space for you to practice falling with a bit of elegance without worrying about hurting yourself.” 

“Do you two ever stop talking?” 

“Master, I think we are giving Lord Sith a headache.” 

Qui-Gon remains standing, Obi-Wan moves away from him.

“If all he is getting from us is a headache by the end of this day I say he is lucky.”

Obi-Wan takes a step to the left, poised to take another one before she cocks her head. Body suddenly coiled to run, weight shifting back and forth as if unsure which direction requires the most attention. 

“Actually Master, you might want to have a little sympathy for Lord Sith and his headache.” 

“Why is that?” 

“Well, do you want the good news or the not so good news as a start?” 

“Good news please, always open with the good news.” 

“Well, Anakin is still sitting in the starfighter you told him to stay put in.” 

“I’m not going to like the less good news am I?” 

“Him, Artoo and the starfighter fight might just be currently heading towards space. The same space that currently obtains quite a lot of hostile droid ships.” 

Qui-Gon doesn’t feel sympathy for the Sith Lord. He suddenly has a worse headache than he ever had in his entire life, and he has no time or energy to feel sorry for anybody other than himself right now. 

“I am getting too old for this Padawan.” 

“That is why you have me around, to keep you young and on your toes. And to help you learn how to fall gracefully into a swamp if we ever end up in one again. Anakin will be fine, he’s got Artoo and too much conviction to be shoot down.”

“Are you two quite finished?!” 

“Yeah yeah, you have been burdened with glorious purpose involving our deaths and now we are making you late. My most humblest apologies.” 

For a moment the Sith Lord appears to be considering if he too should just go back to bed. Irritatingly enough he doesn’t, igniting a double-bladed lightsaber instead, shining a burning crimson. Qui-Gon thinks he might have seen Obi-Wan mouth wicked. He decides to ignore it, the day has been too long already and the last thing he needs is worrying over Obi-Wan becoming star struck by a kriffing Sith Lord and his flashy, tasteless saberstaff. 

“I am guessing this means that you won’t let us resolve this peacefully? We have no desire to draw blood, my friend. This conflict doesn’t have to end in death.”

Thankfully he doesn’t has to worry for too long as Obi-Wan drops the teenage routine. Her inquiry is sincere, having no wish to harm the Sith Lord before them. 

Her pleading falls on silent ears and Darth Maul makes his opening move, refusing the mercy Obi-Wan offers. Qui-Gon is sadly quickly forced to admit that the Zabrak is more than a worthy opponent. Quick, well trained, and regrettably, more than capable of holding of the two Jedi. 

The time for Obi-Wan’s beloved word games has passed, yet she doesn’t hesitate in joining him in the fight. He has trained her well. Qui-Gon knows that given a choice, Obi-Wan will always prefer to use her voice rather than her fighting skills. Sometimes to ridicule, sometimes to calm, other times to comfort. Fighting is in general supremely uncivilized, she was fourteen at the time, small and still childlike, and grumpy for being forced to train with a blaster. At least there is a certain elegance with lightsabers, this is just brunt force.

Yet she did her duty as always, reluctantly mastering the weapon. Physical combat was surprisingly easy to teach, a skill she found surprisingly fun and had greatly mastered already before she became his Padawan. It also helped that the training focus laid on subduing instead of killing. No Jedi liked to say it, but they all knew that a drawn lightsaber would end in death too many times. The lightsaber however didn’t come naturally to her. Never clumsy really, but she lacked fluency through her forms, taking them step by step instead of in one smooth motion. Unsure of how to place her feet correctly, how to shift her grip on the saber, lacking enjoyment in her training. But wasn’t that why he was there as her Master, to guide and help and teach? To mold her into perfection?

So he did, day after passing day, encouraging her, helping her. Pushing her to her limits, only to break them, break her, when they appeared. Eventually he trained a girl that much rather talk to her enemies than fight them into a beautiful, deathly warrior. Sometimes he wondered if she resented him for the skills he gave her. If she had been better of with a Master more accomplished in diplomacy and healing. 

Nevertheless he had chosen her and she had chosen him in return. They had trained and she had scream and cried and maybe even hated him a little bit for what he was doing to her. So through the physical pain and exhaustion, they played with words, back and forth. Games to distract her and please her, make her forget that too much of the time he was teaching her how to be a killer. He gave her his words as an apology, making an effort to train her mind as keenly as her body.

Obi-Wan was twelve when she became his Padawan, and since that day he had given her everything he had to give. And today he is failing her. 

Because Obi-Wan is sharp and skilled and an emotionless killer when absolutely necessary, but Darth Maul is a Sith Lord, and Qui-Gon can feel himself slipping. They move from room to room, not because Qui-Gon wants them to, but because the Zabrak is relentless and a type of warrior he has never faced before. He doesn’t know how to best him, nor does he dare to allow Obi-Wan to close into the fight. 

Everything he has goes into keeping the fight centered on him, and when Darth Maul manages sends Obi-Wan flying across the room, down from the bridge, away from them, he feels relieved. A simple fall will not hurt his Padawan, and it buys his time, buys him time to finish the fight that he should never have left Obi-Wan come the within a mile of. He should have left her with Anakin. Anakin who for some reason is flying into space where armies are fighting over control of the planet. Qui-Gon should have left them somewhere together, safe from both droids and Sith Lords raised from the grave. 

He has failed them both. 

Around and around they dance, green saber meeting red, sparks flying around them. The Force wild and restless, Qui-Gon feels it beating in his ears, thrumming with energy. This is more than just a fight between a Jedi and a Sith, a crossroad on the way to the future, and Qui-Gon dares not think the consequences if the wrong path is taken. 

He can hear Obi-Wan making her way back towards them again, accordingly he doubles his attack rate, desperate to end the struggle before she can be targeted once more. They enter into a hallway, Qui-Gon finally gaining the upper hand and forcing the Sith Lord to retreat. Before he knows what is happening red force fields are separating them, Obi-Wan behind him, Darth Maul before him. It’s conflicting, knowing that they are keeping his Padawan safe, but also keeping him from his enemy. 

So he kneels, closes his eyes and waits. 

Darth Maul doesn’t run, but stays in the reactor room, solidifying Qui-Gon’s belief that this fight will end in blood. He can feel him pacing in front of him, a caged animal waiting for the opportunity to attack. Qui-Gon concentrates on his breathing, calming himself, preparing. It is coming to an end, one way or an other, soon either the Sith will be gone or Qui-Gon will. Obi-Wan dying is not a possibility. She will walk away from this place, it is if he will walk away with her that is the question. 

The force shields open and the two are locked together. It is merciless and he has never been more grateful than when the shields closes again, shutting Obi-Wan behind a protective barrier. He sees her kneeling down like he was doing himself a minute ago, desperation shining off her. The look on her face is heart wrenching and through the Force he can feel her begging to be allowed to help him. To not have to watch as her Master engages a Sith Lord by himself. To not have to see him die while she can only sit there and watch.

Around her the Force is swirling, whipping around in turmoil, grabbing at her. Qui-Gon doesn’t know if it is the Force that agitates Obi-Wan or Obi-Wan that agitates the Force. He can’t tell the difference between them anymore, his Padawan’s presence diluted, covered, by the Force spinning around her, solely fixated on the girl. She is lit up from inside, portraying devastating beauty and infinite sadness, being shown things not meant to be seen by any mortal. Qui-Gon fears that she will loose herself in the entity embracing her. 

She has stopped focusing on him, gaze lost somewhere else. It is terrifying and once again he feels as if he has failed her. The Jedi are cautioned against getting lost in the Force, told tales of ancestors adrift unable to return to their bodies. Never had he imagined that such a fate would befall Obi-Wan, as she kneels trapped against an opponent Qui-Gon knows she has no desire to beat. Sometimes the Force can be addictive granting a feeling that cannot be found in the physical world. Qui-Gon isn’t ready to loose his Padawan in any way, especially not in a way where her body will remain unharmed, taunting him forever. 

Yet he can do nothing to help her, for the force shields are still locked, opening interval disturbed by the manifestation behind them, and the Sith is still attacking ruthlessly and without mercy. Qui-Gon wonders if he is as disturbed by his Padawan as he is, or if he can only feel the eeriness wafting off her. He can see her lips moving, feverishly like in a prayer to a deity no Jedi has, but no sounds emerges from her. 

The sight is frightening and he wonders what her prayers are saying. Are they being answered? By whom? Her eyes are vacant, the mind meant to be shining through them wavering between the mortal realm and the Force’s tempting possessiveness. 

“Your Padawan is loosing herself Jedi. She has lost control, it won’t be long before it isn’t even necessary for me to kill her. She has done that herself.” 

The Sith’s mocking rings too true, too personal, and Qui-Gon only snarls in answer. He needs to finish this now, it cannot go on for any longer. Obi-Wan is slipping further and further away from him, balancing on a threshold. But Darth Maul has no intention in letting him go to help her, blocking him again and again, using his only weakness against him. 

And then his opponent spins and manages to knock him on his forehead with the hilt of his saberstaff. It is such a surprisingly simple move that Qui-Gon freezes. He doesn’t understand how the Zabrak managed it, catching him completely of guard. Then Darth Maul moves and Qui-Gon knows that he won’t get away in time to avoid the staff. It will kill him, but he has no time to move, to parry. He is too stunned and can only watch as his death moves closer. 

Except that the blow never makes contact as he is pulled across the room, safely away from the Sith. He crashed into a wall and slides down to the floor, breath wheezing. Well that was unexpected. The Zabrak was capable of a great deal of things, but aborting a sure kill and instead attempting to kill him by pushing him into a wall was not one of them. And when he tries to move something is holding him in place. 

Obi-Wan.

She is standing in front of Darth Maul, lightsaber drawn at her waist. Yet she is only looking at him, back in control, but eyes still living in a world far away. 

“We don’t have to do this. You can still walk away from this.” 

In return she gets a frustrated roar and a saber swinging for her head. She blocks, effortlessly, and then their dance beings. Two creatures with fighting styles as different as possible, Darth Maul aggressive and flashy, Obi-Wan reserved and defensive. Qui-Gon tries to get up, to help, to do something, but the Force is still immobilizing him, keeping him from a fight that is not his to fight. It is excruciating and even though he knows it won’t help he struggles against the invisible bonds holding him. 

“It is never to late to turn away from the path you are on Darth Maul, the Force still loves all its children.” 

Her words to nothing but further aggravate the Sith and fear creeps into Qui-Gon’s heart. Though Obi-Wan does not flinch, responding perfectly to each attack. Around her the Force still sings, but it no longer holds her in its clutches. It is back to guiding her instead of possessing her. 

“Brother, please, come back to the light.” 

Back and forth they dance, though it is coming to an end now, the final steps in progress. If they had been back in the Temple Qui-Gon would have been excruciatingly proud of the sight his Padawan made. Despite everything he had created perfection with Obi-Wan. And she will have a lifetime to master the skills she truly wants to master. The balance in the pair has shifted and the Sith is the one on the defense. He has been given three pleas, refused them all and decided his fate. 

Qui-Gon can tell that Obi-Wan will not let him go, not with the Force whispering in her ear, telling her what to do, how to conquer. No time passes before his prediction comes true. She jumps, twisting in the air so that she lands facing Darth Maul’s back. He spins around to face her, but is all he manages to do before Obi-Wan slashes out with lightsaber and cuts through his stomach, from right to left. Qui-Gon smells the scent of burnt flesh, and the Darth Maul, the first Sith seen in a millennia falls into the darkness of the reactor. 

It is quiet after that, the consuming presence of the Force easing up, though slowly as a reminder of its power. Her lightsaber shuts off and is clipped back on her belt. Then she remains frozen in the same spot, staring into the reactor, an immobile statue. Qui-Gon finds himself able to control his body again, rises carefully from his position on the floor, and moves even more careful towards his Padawan. When he touches her she remains motionless, still lost in her own world, he wonders what she sees in the darkness. 

“Sweet Obi-Wan, who saved my life and defeated a Sith. Who has looked into the abyss, let go.” 

“I don’t know how Master.”

“You do, you know, let go and come back to me my dear Padawan. Your time with me isn’t over yet.” 

“I feel blinded. There is so many paths and I don’t know which one to walk.” 

“Choose one. I will guide you if it is the right, and help you if it is the wrong. Pick one so you can come back to me.”

“I am afraid of choosing wrong.” 

“Trust me. Trust the Force. You won’t be left alone in the wilderness.” 

“Promise?” 

“I promise Obi-Wan.”

She finally collapses into his arms, physical and mental exhaustion taking over. Through their training bond Qui-Gon feels her mind becoming her own again. He picks her up and holds her close to his chest. She hasn’t allowed him to do such a thing since she was thirteen and for a moment he basks in the feeling. Of being able to hold her without her protesting, kicking and doing everything in her power to escape.

“Can we go home now Master? I don’t want to be here anymore. I want to go home.” 

“Soon my dear, soon I hope. We need to find Anakin first.” 

“Anakin is fine, Anakin will always be fine. The Force loves him. Loves him.” 

The words are murmured with quiet determination. She falls quiet after that, eyes dipping shut and he presses a soft kiss to her forehead. He takes one last glance into the reactor before walking out of the room, hoping to at least find his own cloak on the way out. Obi-Wan’s is bound to be lost or destroyed, an event that is simply meant to happen because it belonged to Obi-Wan and Obi-Wan’s cloaks are always disappearing. 

When he returns to the hangar bay his prediction shows true. His cloak is laying where it was left, in the same condition. Obi-Wan’s has disappeared as usual and he doesn’t bother looking for it. He picks up his own cloak and sweeps Obi-Wan in it, smiling when she snuggles deeper into it. Qui-Gon briefly wonders if he should go and look for Anakin, but decide not to. He trusts Obi-Wan’s judgment that Anakin will be fine, though he has no idea how she knows. Instead he sits down and leans towards the wall. Her hands sneaks out and clutches faintly to his tunic. 

“Obi-Wan?” 

“Mhm.” 

“How did you know that Anakin left in the starfighter? And how are you so certain that he is alright?” 

“I feel him. Can’t you feel him Master? He shines so brilliantly.” 

Qui-Gon can’t feel Anakin, not from this far away. He too sees Anakin’s astonishing presence in the Force, but only when they are together. 

“You shouldn’t be able to do such a thing Padawan. There is no foundation for it.” 

“Don’t care, want to sleep.” 

She snuggles further into him, leaving him to contemplate in silence. Qui-Gon is able to feel Obi-Wan even from planets away, but they have a strong training bond. They have live together for years and their mental link is the norm between Padawans and Masters. Obi-Wan and Anakin have only known each other for days, there is no reason for them to have that sort of connection. He honestly doesn’t understand it, they have no reason being in each other’s heads. 

Even just the thought of them being connected that way is frightening. Direct permanent connections in the Force between are dangerous. It is a reason for the link between Padawan and Master is severed after the Padawan has been knighted. There should be no link between relative stranger, even ones as close as Anakin and Obi-Wan. 

“You are thinking too loudly Master. I’m not in Anakin’s head and he isn’t in mine. I’m just keeping a closer eye on him. He deserves that. Now be quiet.” 

He chuckles slightly at her grumpiness, before letting his worry go. If Obi-Wan says she doesn’t have an interloper in her head, she doesn’t. He doesn’t need to understand everything. Instead he concentrates on their own link, comforted by the feeling of it. Before long he feels Obi-Wan falling asleep and he relaxes into the wall, which feels more comfortable than it is supposed to be. He closes his own eyes in relaxation and simply enjoys the peaceful moment. 

Qui-Gon is contemplating falling asleep himself when the hangar is invaded by celebrating pilots. Anakin is perched on their shoulders, so similar to how Qui-Gon had placed him after he won the pod-race. He breathes a small sigh of relief at actually seeing the boy alive. Anakin is smiling widely and waves happily over at him, that is, he is waving until he notices the still form in Qui-Gon’s lap. Then he is scrambling of the shoulders carrying him and Qui-Gon wonders if Anakin might be able to teleport by how fast he is suddenly standing before them. 

“Obi-Wan!” 

“Easy Anakin, nothing is wrong with her, she is only sleeping.” 

“What happened to you?!” 

“We met an enemy we weren’t truly prepared to meet. It cost Obi-Wan a lot.”

“Are you sure she is fine?” 

“Give me your hand.” 

He takes the offered hand and places it on the wrist of one of the hands clutching at his chest. 

“Do you feel her pulse Anakin? She is fine, she just needs to rest.” 

“What happened?” 

“I will tell you later, okay? This isn’t the right time. I need to contact the Council and find Obi-Wan a safe place to rest.” 

Anakin looks uncertain back at him, feelings clearly twisted, looking as he is about to protest. Though in this Qui-Gon is unwilling to compromise, there is no debating this topic. Instead he gives Anakin a firm look, making the boy back down, and rises from his position at the floor, Obi-Wan still gathered in his arms. They leave the hanger, weaving between cheerful pilots, searching for the Queen. 

It doesn’t take long before they find her, still dressed in her simple outfit, blaster at her hip and looking entirely in control of the situation. She finally takes notice of them, face going ashen and morphing into worry. Qui-Gon gives her a reassuring look, signaling that everything is fine. 

“Obi-Wan?”

“Will be fine, droid army?” 

“Annihilated, Nute Gunray captured.” 

“Good, very good. Queen Amidala, if it is possible I need a safe room for Obi-Wan to rest.”

“Of course. Marké!” An aid, Marké, appears out of thin air. “Would you pleas take Master Jinn to the third bedroom on the fifth floor, east wing.” 

Marké bows and motions Qui-Gon and Anakin to follow him. They are lead through several hallways and a multitude of stairways and Qui-Gon takes care to memorize the route. They finally arrive to their destination, and the aid unlocks the door before bowing and disappearing down another hallway.

Anakin enters first, holding the door open for him. Qui-Gon takes a quick sweep of the room, noticing a balcony and a door leading to what he assumes is the ‘fresher. It is sparsely, yet finely decorated, two large beds, bed tables and a desk. He motions for Anakin to pull down the covers, before placing Obi-Wan her back on the bed, though it takes about five seconds for her to flip over on her stomach. Qui-Gon only shakes his head and proceeds to remove her boots and lightsaber. For a moment he debates taking the lightsaber with him, but decides not to, and places it on the table by the bed. 

“Would you please stay here with her Anakin while I go and contact Master Yoda. I don’t know how long it will take for him to arrive so you should probably sleep if you are able to.” 

The boy only nods distractedly at him, still appearing worried about his new friend. 

“She will be completely fine. You can trust me on this Anakin.” 

He still doesn’t look entirely convinced and the last thing Qui-Gon sees before exiting the room is Anakin crawling on top of Obi-Wan, head once again resting between her shoulder blades and open eyes staring nearly accusingly back at Qui-Gon. The message is clear. He will not be forgiven if Obi-Wan doesn’t wake up. 

__________________

Qui-Gon paces the hallways as he waits for Yoda and Mace to arrive. He only contacted them briefly, telling them to come to Naboo, that this conversation would need to take place in person, yet away from Coruscant. In the mean time he reflects on the duel with the Sith Lord, meditating away his lingering fear for both his own and his Padawan’s life. 

He is burning to be with her, to ask what happened to her during the duel, what she saw. Though he knows that the best thing for Obi-Wan is for him to leave her alone to rest. She is safe in the Palace room, and his thoughts will probably only disturb her and wake her too early. 

“Master Jinn?” It is the same aid as before. “The other Jedi Masters have arrived, I can take you to them now if you want?” 

In truth, Qui-Gon would rather not face the Council Masters though he still nods his head and follows Marké. It thankfully takes some time to reach them and Qui-Gon uses the time to immerse himself in the Living Force, letting go of his worries and insecurities. Too soon they reach the conference room and Marké nods his head before once again disappearing. He enters the room and greets the occupants within. 

“Master Yoda, Master Windu.” 

“Master Jinn. It is good to see you in good health, though I think you own us a briefing.” 

“Of course.” Qui-Gon pauses slightly before beginning, searching for the right words. “A few hours ago Obi-Wan and I was helping with the fight against the Federation’s invasion. In the starfighter hangar we came upon a Zabrak standing on the side of the Federation. He called himself Darth Maul and was a Sith Lord.” 

Yoda’s ears twitch and Qui-Gon gets the impression that he wishes to hit him in his leg with the gimer stick. 

“The Sith has been extinct for a thousand years Master Jinn. Are you sure it was a Sith Lord?” 

“I know, but he could have been nothing else. His presence in the Force was unlike anything I have ever felt before, and I have no doubts that he was in fact a Sith.” 

“Troublesome news this is. Dangerous news.” 

“I am aware Master Yoda, couldn’t have been anything but a Sith Lord, as much as it pains me to say it.” 

“Always two there are, a master and an apprentice.” 

“And which one did I meet?” 

“A dangerous question, but irrelevant at the moment. What happened then?” 

“We ended up fighting him. It was two against one yet he had no problem fighting the both of us at the same time. He carried a saberstaff and was as skilled with it as he was with the Force. All in all he was a fearsome opponent and he held the upper hand for most of the Fight.” 

“And Padawan Kenobi? How did she fare in the fight?” 

“She was remarkable as usual, but I didn’t dare let her too near him. I had no desire to have his full attention on her. I feared it would have been too much, there was no mercy to be found in him.” He pauses slightly before continuing. “We ended up near one of the reactor rooms. All three of us became separated by the shields protection the reactor. Darth Maul could have used the opportunity to escape, but he didn’t.” 

“He chose to stay and fight?” 

“Yes, he decided for us both that it couldn’t end peacefully. The shields opened and the two of us engaged again.”

“And Kenobi?” 

“She didn’t get through in time and was locked away right outside of the room. It... she...” He doesn’t know how to continue. 

“Jinn, what happened?” 

“I was losing the fight. And on the other side of the shield Obi-Wan was getting lost in the Force.” 

“Lost?” 

“She started to drift away, the Force grabbed hold of her and didn’t let go. It was terrifying to watch and I couldn’t do anything to help her. The Sith refused to end his attacks. He was mocking me, taunting me with the fact that I was losing Obi-Wan and he didn’t even need to lift a finger against her. Then he tricked me and I was certain I was going to die.” 

“Yet stand here, you do.” 

“Because I reached out and pulled him away.” 

Qui-Gon spins around, not having realized that Obi-Wan has joined them in the room. She stands just inside the door, dressed and dwarfed in his robe, left hand holding Anakin’s right. He feels carefully through their training bond, meeting the familiar sensation of Obi-Wan’s mind. Yet there is something different, an undercurrent of sadness that didn’t use to be there. 

The duo comes up to him, but Obi-Wan doesn’t stop, letting go of Anakin’s hand and proceeding forward to kneel before Yoda, robe pooling around her. 

“How?” 

It is Mace who asks the question, but it is Yoda Obi-Wan speaks to. 

“I was separated from Qui-Gon. I was unable to help. So I begged the Force to help. It wasn’t rational, I didn’t think. I just wanted to save my Master.”

“Lost control you did. Very dangerous thing to do.” 

“I know Master Yoda. But it didn’t matter at the time. I would rather lose my sanity than being forced to watch my Master die before me. I reached out and the Force answered, it came to me, whispered to me. I promised it my life and everything it wanted as long as he didn’t have to die.” 

Her voice is quiet, the only sound filling the room. Anakin stands restless beside him, and Qui-Gon carefully places a hand on his shoulder, grounding him in place.” 

“I didn’t expect it to answer me in any way, but I was desperate. It filled my head, showed me what I needed to do. And then it showed me it. It was petrifying, the consequence of what would happened if I chose to save him. Yet it wasn’t even a possibility not to do it.” 

“Padawan Kenobi, what did you see?” 

Obi-Wan doesn’t move, but turns her head to look at Mace. 

“I cannot tell you. It must be my burden to bear, but it is a burden I’ll bear willingly. It was the only way to save him. So I accepted it, and the Sith Lord fell and Master Qui-Gon lives.” 

“Are you sure about this Kenobi? Not every burden has to be carried on your own.” 

“This one has to be. Not all knowledge should be known to outsiders.” 

The sadness in her voice makes Qui-Gon’s heart ache. Yoda however seems to focus on something else.

“You slayed a Sith Lord? Did she?” 

“She did, she didn’t want to, but he gave her no choice at the matter. Obi-Wan begged him three times, but he refused to end his attack.” 

“Solve a problem this may do.” 

Qui-Gon feels confused yet Mace appears to have caught on, and Qui-Gon can practically see the wrinkle forming there. 

“Yoda, you cannot be serious.” 

“Long tradition it is. Discussed knighthood we did.” 

Oh.

“You are talking about the tradition of a Padawan achieving Knighthood by besting a Sith in combat.” 

“You will knight Obi-Wan so that Qui-Gon can train me?” 

Anakin’s voice is a bit too excited, and Qui-Gon is certain that the wrinkle between Mace’s eyebrows is permanent by now. Thankfully Obi-Wan doesn’t appear to be entirely put of by the idea, intrigue flowing through their link. 

“Decide Padawan Kenobi, you will.” 

Obi-Wan turns her head back to Yoda, deep in thought. 

“You should do it, knight me. Anakin deserves to be trained and who else is supposed to train him? Master Windu will be covered in wrinkles within a month, and you will give him permanent bruising with your stick.” 

Her comment earns her a soft whack in the head by said stick. 

“And what about you Jinn, what are opinion on this? Are your Padawan ready to be knighted? Ignoring today’s events, is she ready to be knighted?”  
Qui-Gon’s first instinct is to say no, that she can’t leave him yet, that he isn’t done protecting her, loving her. But he knows saying that she isn’t ready would be a lie, another insult to her. He could aid her to an even greater mastery of her lightsaber, but that is also something she can do on her own. And she is ready to start mastering other fields, subjects involving healing instead of artful killing. 

“She is ready. I don’t want her to be, but she is ready to become a Jedi Knight. It is time for her to start teaching herself.” 

“It is decided then. We will travel to Coruscant where Padawan Kenobi will be knighted and Anakin Skywalker will be accepted into the Jedi Order as Master Jinn’s Padawan.” 

Wrinkle, Mace, permanent. 

__________________

They are flying back to Coruscant, having apologized to the Queen for not having time to stay for the planned celebrations. All of them are anxious to get back to Coruscant, even Anakin, who Qui-Gon knows would have like to have seen more of Naboo. He promises to himself to take him back there soon, give him nicer memories of the planet than flying battles in space. Though when he considers it that might be a very nice memory according to Anakin. 

“May we join you Master?” 

He is startled out of his thoughts by Obi-Wan and Anakin’s approach. Anakin is holding his outer tunic in his hand, Obi-Wan behind him, still in Qui-Gon’s ridiculously large robe, holding a pair of scissors.

“Is there a reason for the scissors Obi-Wan?” 

She doesn’t do it, but he can still practically hear her rolling her eyes at him. 

“Anakin can’t be accepted as a Padawan, looking like a scruffy little scoundrel. I’m going to cut his hair.” 

Anakin himself doesn’t look entirely pleased, but he appears to have resigned himself to his fate. He might be pouting a little bit, but Qui-Gon decides not to tease him about it. It’s not like Qui-Gon himself was particularly happy when he was the one having the haircut forced on him by Dooku. 

“Lighten up Anakin, it is only for a decade or so. Then you can do whatever you want with your hair.” 

Qui-Gon’s words fail to cheer Anakin up and instead he finds himself on the receiving end of a rather angry look. Obi-Wan simply sniffs at them and pushes Anakin down on the chair next to him. 

“Master, behave. Anakin please sit still so I don’t clip your ear or something.” 

Anakin continues to pout but stiffly sits still under Obi-Wan’s hands. After a while Qui-Gon can hear Obi-Wan humming in the Force. He recognizes it as the same song as when they stood in front of the Council, it seems oddly familiar, but has no idea where Obi-Wan has it from. No matter where she learned it, it is soothing to listen to, and Anakin visibly relaxes, spellbound. 

“What was it the Force showed you that was so terrible you couldn’t tell Yoda and Windu about?” 

The humming continues, but Obi-Wan is suddenly far away. Her shields are raised tightly, cutting him from her. 

“I know you want to help Master, but you can’t, not with this. I made a sacrifice so I would be allowed to save you. It was made voluntarily, and if I had to make it again I would do so in a heartbeat. But please don’t ask me again, this is my choice.”

Little dear Obi-Wan, you don’t need to do this.

“I promise Padawan, I wish you would share your burden with me, but I promise I won’t ask again.”

“Thank you Master.” 

She doesn’t asks Anakin to promise, taking his silence for the promise it is. Qui-Gon can’t help but marvel at their friendship. He doesn’t understand it completely, but he is more than certain that it is good for the both of them. They continue to sit in silence as the ship jumps out of hyperspace.

Obi-Wan finishes her work and braids the remaining hair into Anakin’s first Padawan braid just as they enter Coruscant’s atmosphere. She tugs at the small braid and kisses his forhead. 

“Anakin the Turtle, are you ready to become Padawan Skywalker?” 

The words are whispered into his hair and Anakin smiles hugely in response.


	4. Pancakes and pools

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I'm baaack! This chapter didn't want to be written, so nothing really happens in it. It is simply pure happiness and I'm not even sure I like it. But I hope you do!

Anakin finds life at the Jedi Temple different from his life on Tatooine. There are the obvious things as not being a slave and all the water getting wasted everywhere. Two weeks after settling in the Temple he met Chancellor Palpatine who expressed an interest in meeting him again and Anakin can’t help but feel flattered by the attention. He also gets as much food as he manages to show into his mouth. He is small and very determined to become taller than Obi-Wan by fourteen. Ideally he will become as tall as Master Qui-Gon, but Obi-Wan warned him that he is just ridiculously tall. So for now he has settled on surpassing Obi-Wan and waiting to see if Master Qui-Gon height is possible. 

He of course told this to him and got a laugh in return. Master Qui-Gon also shared with him the not-really-a-secret secret that Obi-Wan was the lowest of the human Knights and that he had no doubt about Anakin achieving his goal. Obi-Wan had walked in on them at that moment, and though Anakin had been tempted to share this with her, the suspicious glower sent their way had stopped him. A week after that discussion Anakin saw Obi-Wan spar for the first time. It took him all of five minutes to decide that her lack of height was no hindrance in a fight. 

Reaching the top of a cabinet, sure, but not in thoroughly humiliating someone on the sparring mat. 

Other things different with his life are the fact that he suddenly has free time. In between classes, homework and lessons with Master Qui-Gon it isn’t abundant, but it is designated free time for him. Not like the stolen moments on Tatooine he used to build both Threepio and his podracer. It is time given specifically to him to do whatever he wants to do, except sneaking out of the Temple on his own, which he has been very intently asked not to do. Obi-Wan afterward translated Qui-Gon’s strictest rule of don’t sneak out into don’t sneak out until you are skilled enough to avoid getting hurt, kidnapped or caught.

The translated rule is the exact thing he expected from Master Qui-Gon, who half apparently forgets that he is a Jedi Master. Anakin has decided that he can live with this one rule for now. The Temple is many things, large most of all, but boring is not one of them. Or, he finds the Archives quite boring, but the place is thankfully big enough for him for avoid that place as much as possible. His favorite place is the place that Obi-Wan calls the Room of a Thousand Fountains.

It is filled with water and plants and is absolutely completely ridiculous, but Anakin loves the ludicrousness of it. Most of the plants he has never even heard of before, Tatooine doesn’t exactly has a flourishing plant life. Master Qui-Gon on the other hand can name every single one, making him wonder what kind of hobbies his Master possesses. 

When asked Obi-Wan mutters out a resigned plants and collecting pathetic life forms. He worries for half a second that it is himself she is talking about. Half a second is however the only time she needs to catch up on his thoughts and shake her head at him. Not you Anakin.

There is also the Temple Hangar, who is filled with an astonishing number of starfighters. He might have salivated a tiny bit when he first saw them, but he feels more than a little justified in doing so. Obi-Wan rolls her eyes without rolling them, another one of her many tricks, at his enthusiasm for them. Anakin couldn’t care less, but was promptly banned from going near them on his own. Young Padawans and starfighters weren’t apparently considered a good combination by any of the decision-making adult in the Temple. That doesn’t stop him from sneaking into the hangar at every opportunity. For now only to look as Master Qui-Gon has told him that there will be practically flying lessons later in his education. Anakin would rather have them now, at once, but he compromises by sneaking in to look, a lot.

However, the very best thing about the Jedi Temple, after Master Qui-Gon and the food and the Chancellor, better than the water rooms, is Obi-Wan. Freshly knighted Obi-Wan who is now a Jedi Knight because she is a superior badass, but also because he needed a Master willing to train him. Yet she never gives him any hard time for it, and in the six months he has been on Coruscant has showed him only endless patience. 

Anakin has discovered that she meditates a lot, but that is apparently a thing she has always done and not something she suddenly started with after meeting him. He also learned her favorite place in the Temple, a grassy spot under a secluded tree in the outside Garden. That if he tried to give her coffee in the mornings she will dump it in the nearest sink within ten seconds. However if he switched the coffee with spicy tea she would give light up the room, and if she was woken with a cup of tea she would hug him. The last trick Master Qui-Gon taught him after he sort of borrowed her lightsaber without asking and he had to endure a very polite, but very cold, silent treatment. She had hinted at what Anakin believed to be a great capacity for sass, but he hadn’t gotten to see at full aptitude yet. It’s a day he doesn’t know if he should look forward to or be scared of. 

His least favorite thing about his new life as a Padawan, except from all the kriffing homework, is Master Windu. Though he is pretty certain that he was Master Windu’s least favorite thing first, so he thinks it is only fair that the sentiment gets returned. Master Windu might have allowed him into the Order, but it has been six months and he is becoming more convinced by the day that the grumpy Master doesn’t like him in the slightest. 

Which really is a shame, because Master Windu’s lightsaber is purple, and none of the other Jedi, none, have purple lightsabers. And since Master Windu doesn’t like him he can’t ask him how he managed to get a purple lightsaber, and is it possible for Anakin to get one as well? He doesn’t really understand why Master Windu doesn’t like him. Master Qui-Gon says Master Windu doesn’t like Padawans in general except maybe his former Padawan Depa Billaba and even more maybe Obi-Wan. 

Obi-Wan says that he should tell Master Windu that it isn’t very Jedi-like to dislike Padawans, though she recommends having a healer nearby if he does. She doesn’t say if the healer is for him or Master Windu. Then she invites him to sit with her under her tree and meditate, which he tries to always accept, though he usually just takes a nap instead. She never pesters him about it, that’s Qui-Gon’s job, thank the Force, not mine.

Anakin feels quite happy with his new life as a Jedi Padawan. He has Obi-Wan, food, training, preposterous water rooms and Master Qui-Gon, all making up for the bald Jedi Master whom frowns disapprovingly at him every time he sees him. The other Younglings and Padawans are still a bit vary around him, yet much better than in the beginning. He can’t exactly call any of them his friends, but they are at least friendly with each other.

As he always does he asked Obi-Wan about it after the first month, why his fellow age mates doesn’t like him. She looked as calm as always, though Anakin thinks he might have seen one of her eyebrows crease minimally. You are an unusual case Anakin, going against the order of how things are done here. Your best option is to give them time and show them that you belong here with us.

He sometimes feels like screaming at her for the endless patience she has for everything. 

If he concentrates hard around her he can feel sadness, the emotion constantly present without reaching to the surface, like a part of her subconscious. Instead she most often projects amusement, mixed with an infuriatingly and very Jedi-like calmness. After six months he has become convinced that nothing in the Galaxy can rattle her. That is, until he opens the door way too early on a free day to find Quinlan Vos standing outside. 

His first thought about of the Kiffar standing outside of the apartment is loud. This is despite him not saying anything, appearing to be assessing Anakin with a confused frown. He isn’t doing anything outrageous in particular, but to Anakin the man practically screams of loudness. The man looks as tall as Master Qui-Gon, and isn’t that perfect, muscled, yellow tattoos on his face and left arm, for some reason dressed in a sleeveless dark tunic. Even before he knows who he is Anakin decides that he likes him, any Jedi so clearly deviating from the standard has to be worth knowing. 

“You aren’t Obi-Wan.” The man is apparently finished with scrutinizing him. 

“No.” 

“Is Obi-Wan inside?” 

“No.” 

“Is Obi-Wan on her way back here?” 

“No.” 

“Is there a reason Obi-Wan isn’t here?” 

“She doesn’t live here anymore.” 

The man’s confusion seems to grow, and Anakin admits that he might be enjoying himself a little bit. 

“Last time I checked this was the apartment to Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan.” 

“It used to be.” 

“And what is it now?” 

“Mine and Master Qui-Gon’s.” 

“Yours and... And what happened to Obi-Wan?” 

“She was knighted.” 

“Knighted? Obi-Wan is like sixteen!” 

“So what? Master Yoda and Master Windy knighted her six months ago.” 

“Right. Okay. Say I believe you, hypothetically. Who are you in all of this?” 

“Anakin Skywalker. I’m Master Qui-Gon’s Padawan, we met on Tatooine. And you still haven’t introduced yourself.” 

Anakin sticks out his hand waiting for the other man to shake it. To his credit the Kiffar only looks lost for a moment before he appears to shake off his confusion and grab it.

“Jedi Knight Quinlan Vos at your service Anakin Skywalker. Now, do you have anywhere to be in the coming hours? Any lessons or plans with Qui-Gon?” 

Both Anakin and Qui-Gon have the day off and through their faint training bond he can tell that his Master is practically dead to the world. Consequently he barely has time to shake his head before he is hoisted up on Quinlan’s shoulders. He lets out an embarrassingly loud yelp at the motion, and Quinlan grins at him in return. 

“So since the both of us have the day off, and your Master and my Padawan is still sleeping why don’t we go and visit Obi-Wan. I trust that you know where her new apartment is.” 

Anakin grabs hold of Quinlan’s hair, wonders how Obi-Wan and Quinlan are friends, and gives him the apartment number. He yelps again, mercifully not as loudly, as his new acquaintance sets of down the hall. By some stroke of luck Anakin had actually gotten appropriately dressed before answering the door or else he is certain that he would have been even more embarrassed than he currently is. The few people they meet on the way looks curiously at them, but Anakin decides to ignore them in favor of questioning Quinlan. 

“How are you and Obi-Wan friends? Aren’t you a bit old?” 

His question gives him in return a look that is both hurt and betrayed, but thankfully also very amused. Anakin really doesn’t understand how Obi-Wan is friends with a person so incredible open with his emotions. 

“Old?! I am only 26 thank you very much.” 

“As I said, old. And you didn’t answer my question.” 

“26 is not old in the slightest, it is you that are young and naive. And perhaps I don’t want to answer rude little Padawans.”

Anakin gives up his teasing, he has more interest in finding out about their friendship. 

“Fiiine, you are not old. Now please tell me how you and Obi-Wan are friends? Please?” 

“Short story, she kicked my ass while sparring.” 

“So? Obi-Wan kicks everybody’s ass. She is really good at fighting if you haven’t noticed.” 

Anakin has yet to see Obi-Wan even becoming close to losing a sparring match. She doesn’t always win lightsaber matches, but his friend is clearly superior to everyone in the Temple when it comes to physical combat. Quinlan snorts at his remark. 

“Well now I know, but she was thirteen at the time and even tinier than she is now. That she took me by surprise is an understatement.” 

“Okay, but you still haven’t explained how you are friends. You only said that she beat you and that isn’t very friendly.”

“No, not really.” Quinlan laughs at him. “But anyone that good at fighting is worth being friends with. Obi-Wan didn’t quite agree with me.” 

“She didn’t?” 

“Not in the slightest. I pestered her pretty much constantly for a month before she cracked and yelled at me.” 

“You’re lying!” 

“Not in the slightest. She screamed abuse at me for five minutes before telling me to leave her alone. I’ve never been as scared of a person as I was that day.” 

Anakin needs to think a bit before he answers. He finds it rather unlikely for the enormous man he is sitting on top of to be scared of Obi-Wan, but he also remembers his own caution against her when he first met her. And back then she wasn’t even angry with him, he can’t actually imagine how Obi-Wan looks like when she is angry. 

“I don’t think I can really imagine you being scared of her, or Obi-Wan even looking angry. She’s always super calm.”

“Obi-Wan has a large temper, but she has mastered it. That’s why she always looks so composed all the time. Trust me kid, you don’t want to see her angry, it is kriffing petrifying.”

“But you still say you are friends?”

“Yeah, funny how things works out. I was prepared to leave her alone after that. Qui-Gon however thought the whole thing was hilarious. He felt Obi-Wan needed someone to get on her nerves. It’s healthy for her were his exact words.” 

“So Master Qui-Gon forced you two to be friends?” 

“Pretty much. I was more than willing though I’m not certain if Obi-Wan liked me in the beginning or just tolerated me hanging around so Qui-Gon didn’t lecture her about it.” 

“But she hasn’t screamed at you again?”

“No, and I like to think that I amuse her more than I irritate her. When I think about it the whole screaming incident might have been a good thing because Qui-Gon wasn’t entirely happy about me hanging around before that happened.” 

“Why not? He was the one who made you become friends.” 

“Yeah, but Qui-Gon have always been quite protective of Obi-Wan, and he was more than a little suspicious as to why I decided to hang around his Padawan.” 

“And her screaming at you fixed that?” 

“That and me being absolutely terrified of her. Apparently it convinced him that I wasn’t a threat to her. She is a good friend to have even is it was a bit of a shaky start.” 

“And now we are going to visit her at seven in the morning? Isn’t that a brilliant way to annoy her?” 

“Definitely. Which is why we’re doing it.” 

It takes a couple more minutes to reach Obi-Wan’s apartment and tugs gently at Quinlan’s hair to be let down. The man complies and Anakin shoots forward and knocks insistently on the door until he can hear faint sounds from within. He isn’t sure if being the one to wake Obi-Wan is the smartest idea he has had, but she has been off planet for two weeks and he has missed her. Besides, he is sure he can pass any blame of to Quinlan if Obi-Wan doesn’t appreciate being woken. 

“Anakin? What are you doing here?” 

Obi-Wan has finally opened the door and it is clear that she is still half asleep. Still dressed in sleep clothes and with hair sticking out in every direction. It has grown to chin length since her knighting and Anakin can’t help but miss his own hair for a moment. Still he darts forward and steals a hug from her, before beaming up at her, looking for wounds and bruises, thankfully seeing none. She only looks tired and Anakin can deal with a tired Obi-Wan. 

“I don’t have any tea, so I brought a friend instead.” 

It is only then she appears to notice Quinlan standing behind him. He is grinning widely down at her and Obi-Wan suddenly looks even more tired. 

“Knight Vos, of course you are here. You always had the habit of appearing in places you have no business being.” 

“What can I say? I have many talents. But no hug for me Obi-Wan? I’m offended!” 

“Anakin gets a hug because it is nice to see him, you are a bit more debatable.” 

“You are hurting my feelings here you know.” 

“And you are somehow making me even more tired than I was before you two woke me. I’m going back to bed.”

Anakin can only watch in distress as she reenters her apartment, he wanted to spend time with her. He is considering yelling at Quinlan for annoying her when he suddenly is picked up once again. Quinlan hasn’t placed him on his shoulders this time, instead he is held around his waist, carried as one would as misbehaving child. It is entirely undignified and Anakin is too baffled to protest, reduces to staring up at Quinlan with a betrayed look. The man simply continues to smile. 

“She never told us to go away, and she didn’t close her door so we are joining her. I can handle a couple of hours of doing nothing.” 

Obi-Wan has already gotten back under the covers by the time they enter her bedroom. 

“Seriously?” 

“You didn’t tell us to go away you know.” 

Anakin is still being held as a sack underneath Quinlan’s arm. Obi-Wan has defeat in her eyes.

“Fine. Just be quiet, the both of you.” 

He is dropped on the floor without warning and only takes the time to remove his boots before climbing onto his usual spot on Obi-Wan’s back. Anakin gets to be there for precisely twenty-two seconds before he lets out his third yelp of the morning as him and his pillow are suddenly being moved. Quinlan is apparently dissatisfied with the arrangement and has rearranged the other occupants in the bed. Anakin is now lying on Obi-Wan’s chest instead of back, Quinlan has one arm beneath her head and the other caging Anakin in between them. It cozy, and Anakin decides he can stay like that for the rest of the day. 

“Complete frivolous use of the Force as usual Quinlan.” 

“Shush, go back to sleep Obi-Wan.” 

“You’re being a bad influence.” 

“Your Master doesn’t think so. He thinks I’m good for you, something to brighten your day.” 

“I meant that you’re being a bad influence on Anakin, he doesn’t need more of those.” 

“Nu-uh, Quinlan is my new best friend.” 

“First of all, I thought I was your best friend. Second, you’re both going to be the death of me.” 

“Don’t say that! You’re my best friend, okay? No talking about dying in any way!”

He guesses Obi-Wan is joking, but the thought is still frightening. Anakin tries to move so that he can see her better, but Quinlan’s arm firmly holds him in place.

“Sleep, both of you.” 

She falls silent after that and Anakin can slowly feel her breathing evening out. It’s dark in the room, and Obi-Wan is warm beneath him. Yet he doesn’t fall asleep. He lies there instead listening to the other two people in the bed. Quinlan occasionally mutters nonsense behind him, words mixing between basic and a language Anakin has never heard before. Obi-Wan’s eyes twitch continuously beneath her eyelids, deep in some dream. 

Outside he can hear the rain heaving down and the noise of never-ending traffic at Coruscant. It’s still unfamiliar to him, yet somehow it is also oddly comforting. Tatooine, the thrice damned sand-cursed Sith-hell, is still somehow his home, mostly due to the familiarity of it. Moments like this however makes him think that Coruscant can become his home, if not Coruscant then the Jedi Temple, and if home fails being either of those, at least he has Master Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan. Even if it appears he has to share her with Quinlan sometimes. Obi-Wan is once again humming in the Force and Anakin doesn’t dream when he finally falls asleep. 

 

When he wakes up he is alone in the bed, covers tucked tightly around him. Obi-Wan’s side of the bed is still warm and he tries to search for her presence in the Force. He isn’t very good with it yet, but he manages to feel her in a room nearby, the kitchen most likely. Next to her he can feel a fainter unfamiliar presence that he guesses is Quinlan. Anakin considers staying in the bed for the rest of the day, it feels much more comfortable than his own. 

In the end it is the scent of pancakes drifting in that gets him up, as he suddenly remembers that he is hungry. His boots have been lined carefully by the door, Obi-Wan’s doing no questions asked. He slowly opens said door and hears the finishing sentences of a conversation. Out in the kitchen he finds Obi-Wan making the pancakes that lured him out, and Quinlan sitting at a chair, doing absolutely nothing to help. 

The pair doesn’t notice him standing beneath the arch, or if they do, neither show it. Obi-Wan is looking at the pancakes and Quinlan is looking at her. Anakin would have initially thought he would have looked fond or affectionate, but Quinlan looks pensive. Like something isn’t the way it is suppose to be. He can guess what Quinlan is picking up on and hopes that he won’t say anything. Thankfully the man turns towards him first and Anakin shakes his head at him behind Obi-Wan’s back. He gets some frowny eyebrows in return, but the issue appears to be dropped. 

“How many pancakes do you want Quinlan?” 

“Why do you ask me?” 

“Because Anakin’s stomach doesn’t have a limit, so you need to lay claim to at least a minimum or else he’s going to eat all of them by himself. And I rather avoid that situation, since it will result in you whining over not getting any food.” 

“Seriously? But he is like super-tiny!” Quinlan stares at him skeptically and Anakin glowers harshly in return. “Fine, relax kid, Obi-Wan give me five of them.”

“I’m not super-tiny you know!” 

“You are smaller than Obi-Wan, Obi-Wan is tiny, hence anyone taller than her is super-tiny.” His comment earns him a flying pancake to the face. Anakin looks over at Obi-Wan, but she’s as calm as ever. “Obi-Wan! Now who is being frivolous with the Force?”

“Quinlan, I’m 164 cm, you are acting like I’m barely taller than Master Yoda. Besides there are plenty of Padawans smaller than me.” 

“Precisely my point, Padawans! But do you know any human Knights smaller than you?” 

She mutters something inaudible in response and Quinlan smiles triumphantly as a result. Anakin finds the interaction between them interesting. Not even master Qui-Gon has managed to rattle Obi-Wan in any way the last six months, and Anakin has definitely never seen Obi-Wan throw a pancake at anyone before. 

“I still don’t think I’m super-tiny!” 

“That is non-negotiable. You will be reevaluated after you surpass Obi-Wan in height. Until then you will be super-tiny.” 

“Shouldn’t you be eating breakfast with your own Padawan? Where even is Aayla right now?”

“Aayla can take care of herself for a morning.” 

“I know that Quinlan, I asked you where she was.” 

“She’s was in our apartment last time I saw her, didn’t appreciate me waking her and sent me off with the message to go and annoy someone else for awhile. Apparently she’s gotten tired of me these last months.” 

“Seven months with on mission with you? I say she deserves a break.” 

“You keep on wounding me today Obi-Wan.” 

“You’ve been away for seven months, I have quite a lot to catch up on.” 

“Or you could be the nice, polite little girl everyone else think you are.” 

“But it is so much more fun to tease you.” 

“Now it is you that are being a bad influence on Anakin.” 

That makes Obi-Wan spin around and point at Anakin with her spatula, pancake balancing precariously on top. It is the first time he has known her where she really looks like a normal seventeen year old instead of the ever-composed Knight she normally acts like. 

“Anakin, updated set of rules! No sneaking out of the Temple, no unsupervised lightsaber usage, no starfighter flying, and always tease Quinlan Vos when there is an opportunity for it.” 

It is finally something he is allowed to do so Anakin is more than willing to agree. The fact that there is a delicious pancake floating in front of him only seals the deal. He grabs the offering and munches on it while grinning at her. 

“Though just to be clear, if you tease him in front of any of the Council Masters, the repercussions are on your shoulders not mine. Same as if you tell Master Windu that it is not Jedi-like to dislike Padawans.” 

Anakin swallows the final bits of the pancake before answering her. 

“Got it, unfavorable consequences will be my fault.” 

“Seriously Obi-Wan? I already have you and now you have turned Anakin to the dark side as well? Who’s next? Aayla?” 

“Aayla don’t need converting. She can handle you fine on her own.” 

Quinlan looks ready to protest some more, but five pancakes suddenly appear on his plate. Obi-Wan puts two on her plate, before setting the rest of the stack down in front of Anakin. He grabs three of them and inhales the two first before tuning back to the conversation.

“Is this a peace offering or a bribe?” 

“It’s pancakes, either be quiet and eat, or be quiet and don’t eat. Anakin will probably eat them for you if you don’t.”

Anakin perks up hopefully at the prospect of more food, but is shut down by the scowl appearing on Quinlan’s face. He pouts at him until Obi-Wan physically rolls her eyes and puts another three pancakes on his plate. 

“You do realize that there are fifteen pancakes left Anakin? It is not necessary for you to look so miserable at not getting Quinlan’s breakfast.” 

“Food stolen from someone else is always better than your own food.” 

“Well, you’re not getting my breakfast kid, so you will have to make do with that little mountain Obi-Wan made for you.” 

He does consider for a moment trying to steal one of the pancakes, just to make a point, but it doesn’t seem worth the hassle. Quinlan is still much bigger than him and it isn’t likely that Obi-Wan will be particularly happy with him if he starts a food fight at her kitchen table. He does the nice thing and eats his own pancakes instead.

“Now that that is settled, what are we doing today?” 

“My plan was to do nothing, but I have a bad feeling that you are planning to chance that.”

“Of course, you have been gone for two weeks, it isn’t healthy to go from being on a mission to doing nothing all day. Your body will go into shock.” 

Anakin wonders if he should steal Obi-Wan’s fork. From the look on her face he fears that she might stab herself with it. Or Quinlan. Or Anakin. Or the entire Temple just so no one will bother her. What Anakin should do is finish his pancakes, say thank you and go find something else to do. There are lot of things Anakin should do yet never does. 

“Obi-Wan can you teach me how to swim?” 

The two people at the table suddenly swirls towards him, Obi-Wan thoughtful and Quinlan surprised.

“Can’t you swim, aren’t you like nine?” 

“Ten, thank you. And I’m from Tatooine, it’s not like there is a lot of water to swim in on a Sith-cursed planet covered in nothing but Sith-cursed sand.” 

“Language Anakin.” 

“Sorry Obi-Wan. But can you? Teach me how to swim?” 

“Yeah, sure, why not. Though I thought Qui-Gon was planning to do that months ago.” 

“He was supposed to, but we never got around to actually doing it. So can you please teach me? Please! I’m the only one in class who doesn’t know how to swim. It’s embarrassing.” 

She looks down at her plate. At first Anakin thinks she might be thinking, but then he notices that her eyes are closed. She feel asleep at the table!

“Obi-Wan!”

“What! Sorry Anakin.” 

“Isn’t it considered uncivilized to fall asleep at the table?” 

“I am not taking etiquette-lessons from you Anakin, not going to happen. Finish eating and we will go and swim.” 

The single twitch in her right eyebrow looks intimidating enough for him to be quiet and do as told. Quinlan leans back in his chair and laughs. 

 

The Room of a Thousand Fountains has fascinated Anakin since the first the he saw it. He of course knew that other planets would have more water than Tatooine, he knew Coruscant would have water and proper showers and all that. But nothing could have prepared him for the large rooms filled with fountains and waterfalls. One fountain alone had more water in it than he had seen in his entire life at that point. It made him wonder what kind of creatures the Jedi really was. 

Six months later and the Room continue to fascinate him. It is the most beautiful thing he has seen in his short life, and he highly doubts that anything can ever really measure up to it. He finds it completely ridiculous, there is no logic act behind placing that amount of water in one room, and after that filling it with greenery. He loves it for everything it is. The calmness, the ludicrousness, how the atmosphere always welcomes him in. 

Until now he has always avoided the largest water pools. Going near them and taking the risk of falling in has never seen very appealing to him. He has no desire to be rescued out, or drowning in the worst case, because he can’t swim. This time once such pool is their destination, and Anakin can feel a small ball of anxiety forming in his stomach. 

Thankfully Obi-Wan takes them to one of the smaller, hidden pools. The bushes around hide them from view and Anakin wonders if Obi-Wan chose the place randomly or on purpose. He knows her well enough to know that it was most likely on purpose. Obi-Wan starts to disrobe, and motions for Anakin to do the same thing. He strips to his pants, while she removes her pants, but keep her undershirt on. Meanwhile Quinlan stands in the back, eyes on Obi-Wan. 

“You know Obi-Wan, you really should make a habit of wearing a bit less clothes.” 

It takes five seconds and Quinlan is suddenly in the pool, sputtering water. Obi-Wan doesn’t even look at him, carefully finishes with folding her clothes, before she places her lightsaber on top. 

“Hey!” 

“Keep your thoughts to yourself Quinlan, I have no need of hearing them. Anakin are you ready?” 

He’s not, but he nods anyway. She smiles at him and slips into the pool, still ignoring Quinlan who has finally gotten out of said pool. Anakin sits down on the edge and watches Obi-Wan swim lazily around for a while. Eventually she swims back to him, floating in place before him. 

“Do you want to come in?” 

It is the last thing he wants to do. 

“I will hold you okay? I won’t let anything bad happen to you. We are going to take it slow.” 

Anakin grips the edge carefully and slowly eases into the pool. The sensation is definitely weird, somehow he is both floating and sinking at the same time. Obi-Wan is suddenly right next to him, holding him afloat. 

“You know I’ve never really taught anyone how to swim before. But we’ll figure it out.” 

“Okay.” 

They spend some time smashing around until Quinlan reenters the pool. He looks bashful enough for Obi-Wan to forgive him, and he joins them in the endeavor of figuring out how to teach Anakin to swim. 

“Someone must have taught you two how to swim, why don’t you just copy them?” 

Obi-Wan and Quinlan looks at each other and the later snorts loudly. 

“Kid, most younglings in the Temple are taught how to swim by Windu, this includes us. Windu doesn’t want to do this, but Yoda makes him do it despite of that. It’s not the funniest way to learn how to swim.” 

“Master Windu taught us how to swim by pushing us into the pool and then using the Force to make sure none of us drowned. It was very educational, but maybe not the best way.” 

Honestly, Anakin has no problems imagining Master Windu doing something like that. It doesn’t sound fun at all, and while being in the pool is making him scream internally he is at least having a good time. The thought of simply being pushed into it and figuring it out by himself is terrifying. 

“Why does Master Yoda make Master Windu do it when he’s so mean about the way he does it?” 

“Nobody knows, it is the way it is and Windu is always careful, nobody has ever come close to being in any kind of danger. But it is an interesting experience.” 

“I’m happy I won’t have to go through it.” 

“It might have been faster, I don’t think either Quinlan or I make very good swim teachers.” 

“You haven’t drowned my Padawan yet so you can’t be that much of a disaster.” 

Anakin, who is currently floating on top of Quinlan’s back, is suddenly spun around as his ride shift to look at the newcomer. Qui-Gon has joined them, and Anakin takes the chance to remove one hand from Quinlan to wave at his Master. He has no idea how Master Qui-Gon managed to sneak up on them, he is usually able to feel him in the Temple.

“They are teaching me how to swim.” 

“I can see that. Are they any good at it?” 

“Not really, but I think they prefer them to Master Windu. He doesn’t sound like the funniest teacher to have.” 

That brings a laugh out of him, and Anakin revels in it. His Master is here, he sort of has a new friend, even if he is a bit dubious. He is in his favorite place in the Temple, learning the weird thing it is to swim. And Obi-Wan is for a moment at least, happy and carefree, swimming in circles around him.


End file.
